


memoria restituta amatoribus

by writingramblr



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Twins, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Credence Barebone Gets a Hug, Cuddling & Snuggling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Sex, Feminization, Fluff and Angst, Incest, M/M, Memory Loss, Obscurial Credence Barebone, Original Percival Graves Has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Post-Canon, Protective Original Percival Graves, Spanking, Spitroasting, Threesome - M/M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, credence is a lil stormcloud, credence obscuruses when he does things for the first time aka sex, david collects strays, double daddy kink, lobster colin returns as David Graves, me writing slow burn what, mild incest i guess?, mild slow burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-26
Updated: 2017-06-21
Packaged: 2018-10-11 06:13:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 25,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10457232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingramblr/pseuds/writingramblr
Summary: Credence recovers from his accidental encounter with the memory erasing rainstorm, and finds himself falling for his rescuer, the soft spoken and sweet David Graves, although he still has feelings for his original Mister Graves.[title is latin: Memory Restored to Lovers]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mentatsnjet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mentatsnjet/gifts).



> have all the FLUFF and ANGST. 
> 
> not exactly the original fic gift planned for my milestone follower, but here it is finally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for an idea of obcurus cloud!credence, see here:  
> http://pan-da-hero.tumblr.com/post/154989436657/  
> http://pan-da-hero.tumblr.com/post/154771896762/  
> http://pan-da-hero.tumblr.com/post/154628005332

At first he thought that Sport was what woke him. As his dog was whining at something and nudging his cold nose into David’s hand, yanking him out of the pleasant sleep he’d been enjoying.

“Whassamatter boy?”

He couldn’t quite open his eyes yet, and they burned without his glasses to help him focus.

Even before he fumbled them onto the bridge of his nose, he knew what had been the cause of his dog’s agitation. A green glow was coming from the living room, and the sound of crackling flames. He hadn’t left the fireplace burning.

Someone was  _ calling _ him, at almost three in the morning.

He huffed out a sigh, and slowly climbed out of bed, snatching up his bathrobe from the end of the bed, before blearily stumbling out into the hall, with Sport following close behind, still whimpering in concern. His dog was very intuitive and highly intelligent. He still suspected that it was because the dog wasn’t a plain no-maj breed.

The glowing fireplace held the elegant and stern visage of the President herself, and something inside his gut clenched.

He swallowed thickly and waved his hand, effectively answering the call, and he knelt down in front of the fireplace to properly be seen.

“Madam President.”

His voice was growly and raspy from lack of use, and for a split second he could see her perfect mask slip.

“Mister Graves. I apologize for waking you. At this point in time I must only inform you that to our very great regret, your brother has perished in the line of duty. As soon as I have permission, I will pass along all that I know, so you and your family can make the proper… arrangements. Again, I sincerely apologize you had to find out this way. Goodbye for now, David.”

She vanished in a wink of green flame, and David was left reeling, nearly falling backwards against the couch, with only Sport licking at his hand to ground him, to keep him present. He couldn’t even tell her how much he hated hearing her address him so formally. He wasn’t  _ ‘Mister Graves,’ _ that was Percy’s schtick.

“She can’t mean it… there must be some mistake… Percy would never, he’s not…”

The room seemed to be closing in on him, and his lungs fought to process his breathing, as his heartbeat thundered in his ears, and he could feel tears stinging his eyes and slipping down his cheeks.

“No…”

Sport was silent now, but nuzzling closer, letting him have something to hold onto in the storm of emotions that threatened to drown him.

He didn’t feel like going back to sleep, so he stayed up. He made a pot of coffee and sipped cup after cup slowly, until the sun was just starting to rise, and he would have needed to be awake anyway.

He walked into the shower in a daze, and half considered drowning himself with a bit of magic to aid, but Sport barked and scratched at the glass door about five seconds after the thought crossed his mind.

He smiled sadly over at the black and white Australian Shepherd, before he flicked off the shower and summoned his towel, stepping out to reassure his dog that he was just fine, of course.

He walked to work in a daze, half wondering if it was lack of sleep or simply shock that made him so, and he wondered when the reality of it all would kick in.

Nothing changed at work, because the general public had no idea. Clearly something had happened in  _ New York _ , because last he heard, Percy had said he was on his way back from Europe over a week ago. He had promised that year, for Christmas, they could finally catch up, go back to being a family again. 

There had been a massive thunderstorm, and it had been why he’d slept so deeply in the first place, before the early morning call. The streets still smelled of damp, but a fresh clean sort, as if somehow all of the bad things had been washed away to reveal the splendor of the city once again.

He informed the other manager that he would be taking a half day, for personal reasons, and barely got a nod in reply.  _ Graves’ _ didn’t have a reputation for taking vacation days often, ever, or sick days either, so he had plenty to cash in. He apparated home to retrieve Sport, and then went back out on foot, to stop by his favorite diner, where surely a hot cup of tomato soup and grilled cheese would cheer him up, if only for the duration of the meal.

Sport curled up at his feet below the table, so he could more easily sneak his dog bits of the crust, which he’d always been less than fond of anyway. By the time the bowl was empty and his plate was just crumbs, he felt less empty inside, but there was still a throbbing headache at his temples. Lack of sleep could not be held off by coffee alone for very long, but he didn’t feel like going to the effort of brewing something stronger.

Leaving the diner with Sport at his heels, he noticed some clouds had sprung back up to hide the sun, and he decided if it rained again, at least the weather would match his mood. He wanted nothing more than to crawl back into bed anyway.

He took the long way back home also, walking instead of using magic, and he knew Sport appreciated it. The small enclosure he’d made for his dog with an expanding charm on his guest bedroom was more than enough space for Sport to run around and get his exercise, but nothing compared to the real outdoors. Sport barked loudly as they walked up the front steps leading to his brownstone, and he frowned, as the sound mildly irritated the headache he had.

“What’s wrong boy?”

He turned to look over at his dog, and found him starting to growl at a little black swirling cloud, hovering about a foot above the animal.

It wasn’t anything like a real stormcloud, and was acting far too strange. It whispered of magic.

David gulped, and considering drawing his wand, but instead, cast a shield charm wandlessly and wordlessly, wondering what the cloud would do.

It didn’t quite bounce off the silvery sheen, but rather fell through it, and pulsed slightly.

So it wasn’t a threat, didn’t seem too dangerous, but David was still cautious. A lifetime of being raised by a great Auror had taught him well enough.

“Can you hear me? Creature of, uh, unknown origin?”

Sport looked back to him and then to the dark mass, and it seemed to flash white and then back to black, sending a shiver down David’s spine.

Was that a yes?

“Why were you following me?”

Another flash of light, before resuming darkness, and it swirled to one side before returning to a somewhat upright position.

David sighed.

It was a horrible idea, bringing something like that into his house, past the wards and enchantments meant to protect and keep danger out, but to the best of his knowledge, rogue magic couldn’t just break through a shield charm, much less seemingly absorb it.

He held out a hand, which made Sport walk right to his side, and instead kept his gaze on the cloud.

It seemed to hesitate, before looming closer, and then brushed right against David’s fingers. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, but it wasn’t painful, merely like grazing against electricity, through a shield.

“Well, hello to you too.”

He stepped back, unlocking the front door, and letting Sport run inside, while the cloud followed behind at a slower pace, but still steady.

_ ‘What the hell am I doing?’ _

David wondered to himself, as he led the cloud and his dog back into his apartment, before quickly bee lining for the living room for the most recent book on magical theory he had. Bringing home strays was of course how he’d first met Sport, and it had turned out well. 

A few hours of reading later, and he felt as if he’d learned nothing. The cloud was now hovering over the floor in front of the fireplace, swirling and shifting somewhat, as if breathing, or a heartbeat, but still with no discernible shape to it.

The closest thing David could compare it to was a mass of fur, freshly shed from a Wampus or maybe a very fluffy no-maj beast.

By the time his eyes were literally closing from exhaustion, David had given up on trying to classify the creature, and instead decided to see if it would obey the simple commands that Sport knew. Namely, ‘sit’ and ‘stay.’

“You can uh, stay here as long as you like. If you need anything… uh,” he paused, looking to Sport as if his dog could help, and then he brought a hand to rub his chin, feeling the scratch of the day’s stubble he’d forgotten to shave that morning.  Mercy Lewis, it had been a shitty day.

“You can’t understand a word I’m saying really, probably. So… just don’t break anything or kill me while I sleep, okay?”

The cloud didn’t reply to that in any way but to swirl up from the carpet and hover over the couch where he’d been sitting, almost curling up onto the cushion, before remaining as still as it could be.

To be safe, David cast another shield charm, but that time around the living room, so that at least if any havoc was wreaked, he would know about it, and only lose one room in the house.

He went through the motions of getting ready for bed in a tired stupor, limbs feeling as heavy as if he’d downed half a bottle of whiskey, and then collapsed on his bed, Sport climbing up to rest at his feet. He was an excellent guard dog after all.

Calling in the next morning was practically a given, and that time he gave a proper excuse that would be confirmed by paperwork he would fill out, and the likely eventual official report and cover story by MACUSA. Instead of being angry at them, he was just a bit out of it, almost numb to pain and grief that should have been eating away at him.

Finding the dark cloud still... resting, in a way, on his couch as he shuffled out to make breakfast with Sport hot on his heels didn’t even faze him, he found himself calling out a good morning greeting before he remembered how pointless that was.

“Damn it all.”

He twirled his hand at the coffee maker and the stove, and sat down with a dejected slump of his shoulders as he made sure his food didn’t get overcooked.

He blinked, and realized that Sport wasn’t barking or whining, but merely making an inquisitive sound, as he looked over to find the cloud actually hovering at his dog’s back, almost perched atop him.

“Sport… good boy. Stay.”

_ ‘No sudden movements.’ _

He didn’t  _ think _ the creature would harm his dog, but he didn’t  _ know _ anything for certain. He kept his wand at the ready all throughout his meal, but nothing changed.

He wished he’d thought to get the contact information for the Scamanders the last time he’d talked to Percy…

Fuck.

Thinking about that was just too painful. He wanted to send a raven, just to see if there was an off chance it would find the person it needed to, without any sort of instruction. Highly unlikely, especially in the storm.

In the middle of the night it had started thundering again, but the heavy pitter patter of rain had lulled David back to sleep relatively quickly, and he wondered just how December had turned out to be so wet instead of the usual cold and snowy.

There was no avoiding it now, he would have to leave Sport with the cloud alone for at least as long as it took to get showered and dried, and the prospect did not appeal to him.

He hated having to keep shielding things, but living with some unknown magical being was just not what he was used to.

Dogs yes, random creatures, no. That was Scamander’s brother’s area, supposedly.  Going off the rumors he’d heard and the second hand information he’d gotten, supposedly when the younger brother had dropped out of school, it had mainly been due to the fact that his career choice wasn’t even considered to be a worthy path, much less offered.

In America, for no-majs at least, there were several different options if one wanted to work with animals, the least of which was simply being a doctor for them.

If it wouldn’t have meant interacting with no-majs on a regular basis, David could have seen himself gravitating to such a career.

Addicted to work or not,  _ Graves’ _ always did their best to help and serve the community and country at large.

If only…

He shook himself, and ambled off to the bathroom to start up the water, knowing how treacherous that line of thought would easily become.

Sport didn’t follow him all the way inside the room, but remained in the doorway, curled up and alert, watchful.

David found himself smiling, and talking to his dog, not feeling nearly as foolish as when he tried to communicate to the cloud.

“What do you think? Is it going to be any trouble? Hmm?”

Sport gave him a look that he liked to call the ‘you know the answer to your own question’ sort, and then laid down, resting his head on his front paws.

Well if he was so relaxed, perhaps David could be too.

It didn’t matter, he couldn’t really do that, even as the hot water pounded away at his back, fighting to loosen the tight knots on his shoulders.

By the time he finally emerged, the bathroom wasn’t quite as steamy thanks to the door being propped open by Sport, but the air felt generally warm and damp. He had lost track of time, not intent on drowning, but unwilling to leave the rather comforting embrace of the hot water. He sighed and quickly dried off before summoning his bathrobe, not quite wanting to bother getting dressed with no clear destination for the day. He trimmed his mustache, and shaved away excess stubble from his neck and chin.

When he returned to the living room, intent on plopping onto the couch, he noticed how the cloud hovered off and away, seemingly waiting for him to sit before landing again.

He did so, and Sport came over to rest at his feet, while the cloud hovered a moment longer, then swirled and loomed closer to the fireplace, perched just a few inches away.

“Are you… cold?”

He couldn’t understand how the creature could possibly be able to feel well, anything, but then again, it was basically a whole new species, as far as he knew, no sentient clouds existed, so the possibilities were endless.

He’d been half tempted to call up someone from MACUSA to ask some vague questions and see about getting someone out to inspect it, but that thought had been quashed almost as soon as it sprung up. At Ilvermorny he’d been introduced to someone who had a Puffskein for a pet and they’d lost it, had it confiscated and David had been right alongside them in the Principal’s office, with answers being demanded of them and him as well.

All they’d been told was that that sort of ‘pet’ was illegal without a proper permit, and in the future to stick with smaller creatures, like kneazles and snakes.

David hadn’t bothered to point out the inaccuracy, in that some snakes could reach lengths of several dozen feet, and simply decided as soon as he was able, he would get another.

He just never had gotten around to it, and instead had found Sport lost, wandering around central park, before following him home.

It seemed he just attracted strays without even knowing it.

He eyed the storm cloud creature and started talking to it before he could stop himself.

“I’ll say this for you, you’ve been a fairly pleasant house guest. I just wish I knew if you needed food, or water… or anything.”

Sport let out a questioning sort of whimper, and David petted his head and scratched his ears.

“It’s okay boy. If it wanted to cause trouble, it would have done it by now. Magical forces aren’t neutral or passive if attached to people.”

That had been another theory bouncing around his head. Could someone shed some of their power, let it wander around free, like a soul was separate from a body?

That was getting into some deeply complicated magical lore, and David hadn’t the knowledge or resources to do any real digging about it, so it would remain a mystery for now, it seemed.

When it was time to turn in for the night, the storm had petered off into a mild drizzle, and David actually paused in his bedroom doorway, turning to find the creature hovering in the hall, not moving, but for the way its form twitched.

Sport nudged past him and moved to curl up on the foot of his bed, making David question himself… but it was worth a shot.

“Do you want to come over here? Promise you’ll be good?”

He held out his hand again, for the first time since he’d first encountered the creature, and it shifted closer, pulsing a hint of white before returning to darkness, and almost caressed his hand, before moving with purpose towards Sport, and settling beside him, still hovering.

“Okay then.”

Sport didn’t always keep his feet warm, and if he really needed it he could pull up another blanket or cast a charm, but for some reason, the creature seemed to emanate so much power and warmth overnight, David woke up actually sweating, and his dog was no longer there. He’d gotten up and gone for a drink presumably, leaving only the dark mass snuggling into the blankets.

At least, that’s what it appeared to be.

No longer hovering, the creature was spread out like an ever swirling and twitching puddle atop the covers, definitely looking more like fur than ever.

David didn’t want to startle it, but he was being smothered underneath the sheets, so he carefully shifted back, so that he could stick one leg out and tuck it back atop the blanket.

Sport’s nails clicked on the floor as he announced his return, and his prompt jump back onto the bed did end up jolting the creature.

It made no move, but rippled slightly as Sport shifted back to lie down beside it.

There was a feeling close to fondness prickling inside of David’s abdomen, and he couldn’t help smiling as he reached over to pat Sport’s side, and then let his hand drift down to pet the creature.

It didn’t hum or respond audibly, but the power it contained fizzled against his skin, as close to a reply as he suspected he’d get.

He fell back asleep soon after, and the icy grip of dread retreated just a touch.

The fragility of the moment lasted up into the next morning, when he was trying to decide if he should call in again, or just brave the idea of leaving the creature in his home alone, when his fireplace chimed, and green fire flared up to replace the normal cheery flames.

“Yes?”

The President’s face appeared again, making his heart skip a beat, but that time, though she still looked stressed and exhausted, there was no great tragic sadness anywhere to be found.

“David. I have news.”

He snorted, and Sport whined a little, coming over to seek out an ear scratching, which he granted, glad for the chance to ignore her.

“I’m very regretful we had to have the conversation that we did. In light of new evidence, I can tell you I was wrong. I made an error, and the simple fact of the matter is, your brother is alive. Only just. He’s under round the clock care, and as soon as I am informed he has woken up, you will be the next to know. There is no other immediate family to be contacted, is that correct?”

David’s eyes were blurring, not from lack of his glasses or tears, but merely shock. He thought he might be sick.

“What...?”

“Your parents… they have both passed, is that correct? I did not have the most current information with me before, I was more than a little distracted. But I believe I was unable to attend your father’s funeral, for that I am sorry… and your mother… she was very soon after, was she not?”

David shook his head,

“I don’t want to talk to you about this. If Percy-” his voice cracked a little but he swallowed and tried to continue as if nothing had happened, “Is really okay, then he will tell you. There’s a reason we were never friends, Madam President.”

She was too cold, cutthroat, and impersonal. Except to his brother.

Somehow, he’d found life and light in her, when anyone else would see only a husk of a person. Power was what made her animated and somewhat content.

At least she wasn’t a cruel leader.

Her idea of justice was a bit harsh to him though. Not a chance of repealing any of the laws that separated the country from itself.

Reeling from the influx of new information, David was finding it very hard to remain stoic and calm, so the second the President ended the call, looking worse for wear than he felt, he got to his feet and walked into the kitchen, grabbing the first plate he saw and smashing it on the ground.

His heart was pounding fast, and Sport knew better than to approach him than when he’d made a mess of the floor not from spilling food.

The anger didn’t last long at all, and the next thing he knew, he was sliding to the ground, amidst the shattered china, and pulling off his glasses to wipe his eyes roughly.

After a few moments of letting his emotions overwhelm him, Sport padded over, deftly avoiding the broken dish, and snuggling up against his side, cold nose pressed against the underside of his chin, and then giving him a comforting lick on his cheek.

“Thanks. You’re such a good dog.”

He hugged Sport and then inhaled slowly, getting to his feet rather shakily, before waving a hand at the ground to repair the plate, and float it back into the sink.

“Hope I didn’t give our guest too much of a fright.”

He murmured to his dog, following him back into the living room to find the cloud trembling on the couch, huddled in the corner, flickers of light flashing every few seconds.

“Oh Mercy Lewis. Hey, hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I was just upset… you see.” He paused, unsure what he was doing, dredging up the last couple days of thoughts and feelings he’d been trying so hard to avoid, but it was necessary, and now, it was going to be okay, because Percy was  _ alive _ .

He got down to kneel a few feet from the couch, trying to present less of a threat, and he held out a hand, palm facing up, to the cloud,

“I thought my brother was gone. My twin, my best friend, my only family left. I didn’t know how to process it, and I still hadn’t. Because of what he does, where he works, they couldn’t tell me much. They sort of dropped the news in my lap and expected me to manage it. Please, know that I would never hurt you. I just… I guess I need to stop letting my uh, myself hold onto these things without expressing them. Somehow.”

Sport was at his side, a solid warm presence that comforted him even with the lingering worry that maybe he’d accidentally pushed the strange creature into manifesting some kind of demonstration of its true power.

Instead, the flashes of white became more and more, until the black was completely gone, and it was almost painful to continue looking at the now brilliantly glowing cloud of pure energy.

David was already casting a wordless shield charm, just in case, when the cloud seemed to explode. There was no damage caused, it was simply like an extremely powerful Patronus charm had flared to life, matching the sunlight for warmth and brilliance, and when David could finally open his eyes safely, his jaw dropped.

No longer was there simply a shapeless mass hovering on the couch, but a person, a body, a pale skinned and long limbed  _ boy _ sitting there, clad in tattered grey and white clothing, arms wrapped around his knobbly knees exposed by two prominent slashes in his pant legs, with a dark mop of hair hiding his face as it was tucked against his legs.

He was rocking back and forth slightly, and it sounded like strangled sobs were being hiccupped from out of his throat.

David got to his feet slowly, careful, cautious as he approached, keeping his hand low and outstretched, until he could set it on the top of the boy’s head, gently feeling his soft hair under his fingertips.

It wasn’t quite like petting Sport, but almost.

“Are you okay?”

The magic that seemed to be required for such a thing, to pull human form from nothingness, from a little blob of darkness that he was absolutely certain had not been any sort of vessel, was considerable.

The boy lifted his head to look at David, finally, and he was definitely crying, long lashes damp with tears, shining on his sharp cheekbones, with a quiver to his bottom lip.

“Yes. Yes, thanks to you.”

David managed a nervous laugh,

“Are you sure? I didn’t do anything really…”

Before he could blink, he found himself with an armful of the boy, collapsed onto the couch, hugging him so tightly he couldn’t even breathe.

“You did. You saved me.”

The words were whispered against his neck, and then he felt the boy’s forehead pressing against his shoulder as he nestled into his embrace, and in effect, remained settled in his lap.

It was a few long moments before another word pierced the silence, and it was the boy speaking, not David.

“I don’t know what happened. One minute I was in the subway, then in so much pain… the next, I opened my eyes but couldn’t see myself. It was dark, and wet, and I felt like I had died, become a ghost.”

David stroked his hand over the shabby material of the boy’s shirt, wincing as he could feel the knobs of his spine through the fabric.

“What else do you remember?”

The boy pulled back to stare at him, and David ducked his own eyes, not used to such close observation. He didn’t like socializing in general because it meant a lot of foolish conversations and far too much eye contact. Considering how different he and Percy had become, he had expected that to change for his brother, but instead, they had more in common in the area of dealing with people than he’d have imagined.

“I just know your face. Mister Graves. He helped me.”

David blinked, as the boy reached up and put a shaky hand to his brow, dark eyes locked on his own, something very sad, and very lonely shining out at him.

“My brother. He’s the  _ Graves _ you knew.”

The boy nodded.

“I just saw you and I couldn’t think, couldn’t do anything but follow. I thought you were him at first… until I remembered… Mister Graves didn’t have a mustache… or glasses.”

The gentle hand on his face shifted, cool fingertips now tracing his cheek, nudging against the line of the metal frame, before dipping down to graze above his lip.

He quirked a smile.

“Percy would never be caught dead with a beard or mustache. He hates how it looks.”

“You still look like him. You’re both very hand…”

The boy broke off, and bit his lip.

David was now extremely curious. What had he been about to say? How else could he and his brother possibly be alike besides in a shred of similarity in appearance?

“What?”

The boy’s cheeks pinked a bit before he spoke.

“You both tried to help me, even though I didn’t deserve it.”

David frowned,

“My brother said that?”

The boy shook his head so fast it made his hair shift, messing it so the sharp line of the cut wasn’t as harsh.

“No. But he was a wizard. He said I could join the magical world if I helped him, and in return, he would heal me. But now I don’t need that.”

David glanced down when the boy pulled back to show him his palms, and faint silvery lines of scars could be seen, before vanishing, blending into smooth skin.

“Who did that to you in the first place?”

His voice was a hushed whisper, and he wanted to follow up the question with the assurance that of course the boy didn’t have to tell him if he didn’t want to, but he was already speaking.

“My… the woman who adopted me used to do it if I disobeyed her. She said my mother was a witch. So I was naturally inclined to wickedness. I guess she was right.”

David blinked.

“So you lived with no-majs?”

Dodging the topic of childhood abuse, which would only make him angry again, he was at least grateful for his brother that he’d made the decision to help the boy, seemingly taking him under his wing.

“I… he told me I was special. I was supposed to find a child who had magical abilities. But it ended up being me.”

The boy sounded almost disappointed.

David tried his best to be soothing, to keep some form of contact going, slowly stroking over the boy’s arms, wondering if he should summon a blanket for him or shift him closer to the fire.

“What else do you remember about my brother?”

There was a lot more going on that he’d ever expected, and there was very little keeping him from storming down to MACUSA to find out just what the hell Percy had been wrapped up in.

“He said he would teach me magic, if I was good. If I could find the child, I could be free. I thought, I hoped maybe we could…”

As the boy blushed even further, the pieces started to slide together in David’s head. Of course. The poor thing was clearly not used to kindness, to positive human interactions.

His brother could be charming when he needed to be, or even if he wanted to be. Percy might not have had a clue how severely he had affected the boy.

Oh dear.

“How old are you?”

He was curious to know how such a powerful magical being had lived among no-majs and somehow never gotten a letter, or even been remotely aware of what he was, through accidental manifestations of his magic.

“Eighteen.”

Seven whole years without having any idea.

David couldn’t imagine it.

His brother must have been able to practically  _ smell _ how much energy the boy, well, young man, was carrying around.

Usually the first sparks or ‘accidents’ would happen at eight. So that was actually a whole decade that somehow the boy had kept it hidden from even himself.

Wait.

“Why were you in the subway? That’s a no-maj transport.”

The boy shrugged,

“I was trying to get away, to hide. Your brother was not… nice in the end. I think I was attacked.”

David’s blood went cold.

Percy would never harm a no-maj or even a wizard without good reason, in the interest of protecting the statute of secrecy, he could see the boy needing to be restrained or chastened if he caused damage or alerted no-majs to his existence. But that was quite clearly not the case.

“What did my brother do?”

His voice fell to a whisper, out of dismay more than to keep from startling the boy, still perched in his lap.

“He said I was useless. Worthless. Then I remember flying, landing in the subway, on the tracks. Someone else was there. They were nice. They didn’t hurt me. But your brother was throwing lightning at them.”

David inhaled sharply.

That was Percy’s signature offensive move.

But it still sounded nothing like him.

He wouldn’t go on some kind of rampage, and certainly wouldn’t be trying to hunt down children with untapped magic, unless he’d been hired as a part time recruiter for Ilvermorny as well as Director of Magical Security. The whole thing was ridiculous. Percy was anything but cruel.

“How long ago was this?”

The boy shook his head.

“I don’t know. It’s all… messed up in my head. I can only see bits and pieces. Faces. I remember your brother, Mister Graves, most of all.”

“Well, hopefully we should have some answers when he wakes up. Knowing Percy, even if declared dead, he won’t let that keep him in the hospital very long.”

The laugh that escaped him after that was more hysteria than nerves, but the boy nodded slowly.

“Do you think he still hates me?”

David’s arms tightened automatically around the boy’s back,

“Nonsense. He couldn’t hate anyone. My brother is a lot of things, but he’s got a heart. If he ever helped you in the first place, then he must be a bit in... uh, he cares. There’s got to be an explanation. Now… are you hungry? You have been here two days and just watched me eat. Let me fix you something, hmm?”

He put a hand to the boy’s shoulder, and squeezed gently, feeling how thin he was, fragile almost, if not for the immense power thrumming through his body.

“But I couldn’t… I’ve already imposed on you so much…”

David carefully shifted the boy out of his lap and stood up, tugging him to his feet, mildly surprised to note he was a couple inches shorter as it was, until his shoulders seemed to bow and he hunched into himself.

“Hey, hey, no, you’ve been no trouble at all. Come on. I could use some lunch myself. I’m not going to make it in to work.”

He sent off a quick message with his Patronus, a gleaming white otter which gave a silent bob of its head before scampering off, holding the boy’s eyes until it vanished through a wall.

“What was that?”

David smiled,

“Just one of the several ways wizards and witches can communicate without the use of a no-maj device.”

The boy nodded slowly.

“Like a telephone?”

David recognized the word. There were booths scattered around the city and in some no-maj buildings that held those electrical machines.

“Yes. Exactly.”

* * *

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "semi" slow burn remember?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credence's POV now.

Credence had never tasted anything as wonderful and delicious as the meal that Mister Graves’ brother cooked for them, simple as he’d insisted it was. Along with a sweet smooth drink that he said was hot chocolate, Credence thought maybe he could drift off to sleep at the end of it.

In fact, his eyes were seemingly fighting to close, and he nearly pitched forward in his chair to the table, sprawling onto the empty dishes in front of him.

“Whoa there. You probably ought to go lay down, hmm?”

The man’s hand was petting his hair, like he’d seen him do with the dog, and Credence found himself nodding, leaning into it, silently begging for more.

“Do you think you can walk?”

His legs were wobbly, but he could stand, as long as he leaned against the man during the journey down the hall, but they passed the bed where he’d previously rested.

“Wait…”

He slurred out, and the man rubbed a hand over his back, shifting him around to fall onto something very soft and warm.

“I don’t exactly have a guest room usually. This is where Sport runs around if he gets bored. But it’ll have to do for now.”

“Not the bed…?”

The man looked taken aback,

“Why, no, you need your own space…”

Credence frowned slightly but didn’t dare argue. He put a hand down to feel what was under him, and it was soft, but smooth, like grass.

He forced his eyes open and realized he was lying down in a meadow, the earth and grass beneath him cushioning like a bed.

“How…?”

They had definitely walked into a room, but somehow it was enormous, and the man smiled gently,

“Magic. Now, don’t worry about getting up in time for dinner. I’ll save you something if you are out that long.”

There was a final stroke of a hand over his cheek, and then the man was gone, a soft click of the door shutting the only indication he’d been there.

Credence didn’t fight off his exhaustion very long, as it had taken a lot out of him to return to form, but it had been worth it.

He’d missed being himself.

What felt like hours later, Credence finally stirred, and no longer felt an invisible weight on his body, keeping him from getting up and being able to focus. He blinked at his surroundings before he remembered that no, he hadn’t fallen asleep inside central park, he was still with Mister Graves’ brother.

His twin.

Except they were so very different.

At least, to how the man had been near the end, when he’d hit him, and said he was done.

His brother seemed to really care. Had let him stay without any sort of demand in return. Doled out fondness and warmth with a smile, and constantly spoke to him, even though he didn’t know Credence could even understand or hear him.

He seemed to really love his dog. A constant companion at his side.

It was what had drawn Credence to him, he decided. Besides the fact that his face stirred memories, it was the gentle and friendly way he just… was. He was much softer than Mister Graves had been, all harsh lines and angles and with perfect tailoring to his suit. Whereas his brother just looked comfortable, and seemed content. Mary Lou would have called it gluttony, or greed, but Credence had never known what it was like to have a proper meal, and he supposed if he ever had, he wouldn’t be nearly as ugly and gangly as he was.

Finding the door wasn’t hard, as there was a minor break in the perfect line of the horizon, and Credence tugged the handle open, before nearly being knocked back by the man’s dog in its excitement.

He hadn’t caught himself, but landing sprawled out on the magical grass hadn’t hurt one bit, and he found himself almost laughing at the dog as it started licking his face.

“Hello there, yes. It’s me. Do you recognize me like this?”

The dog couldn’t speak any more than he had been able to as the pure… Obscurus. That was what the man in the blue coat had called him.

Before he knew it, the dog was pressing its cold nose into his hand, nudging him to go out the door, so he did, following the black and white furred pet as it led him to the kitchen, through the living room and past the fire, to where Mister Graves’ brother was cooking something that smelled heavenly.

He tried to be polite, and wait to be noticed, as children were to be seen and not heard, but the man seemed caught up in his task, and only turned when the dog padded over to him and brushed against his leg.

“Oh… hello. I didn’t expect you up so soon. It’s only…”

Credence shrugged.

“I guess it was enough.”

The man nodded,

“Yes, of course. Well, magic like yours is unpredictable. Not too crazy to think it recharged faster than anticipated. Please, sit. Dinner's almost ready.”

“Thank you… David? Is that right?”

Credence had been afraid to ask, to dare to use his name, but he couldn’t very well call the man  _ ‘Mister Graves’ _ also, that would be far too confusing.

The man nodded, and then smiled a bit,

“David Arthur Graves, that’s me. What’s your name? Forgive me for not asking sooner, but I’ve had a lot on my mind… social niceties sort of… fall by the wayside.”

Credence perched hesitantly on the nearest dining room chair, and tangled his hands in his lap,

“I’m Credence Barebone. But… that’s not my birth name. I mean, when I was adopted, I was given that surname. I don’t know my real last name.”

“Because of your mother?”

Credence nodded.

David made a gesture with his hand and the food started to float over to the table, stealing Credence’s attention so thoroughly he missed what the man said next.

His cheeks burned with embarrassment and he glanced up to find David watching him, something like concern in his gaze.

“Sorry. I should…”

He didn’t know where he was going with the thought, but suggesting a way to redeem himself for such rudeness felt… tactless in the moment so he bit his tongue instead.

“It’s fine. I’m sure you’re hungry. We can talk after. Go on, dig in.”

His guilt at being impolite faded slightly as he began to eat, and the warmth of the food bled through his entire being, filling in the final gaps that he thought had remained, at least inside of his hollow abdomen.

“It’s…”

He trailed off, watching as David snapped his fingers, calling his dog over so he could slip him a scrap, a piece of the perfectly cooked meat, gobbled up right from his palm, and the smile the man gave his pet was almost blinding.

“What’s that?”

David was looking at him now, the smile fading a hint, but not disappearing entirely.

Credence found himself at a loss for words.

Mister Graves had never looked at him like that, at least, not that he could remember.

“Where will I go?”

David frowned slightly, and then quirked a brow, reaching for his drink glass,

“What do you mean?”

Credence inhaled a breath before speaking a rush,

“I can’t stay here much longer, I’m probably in some sort of trouble for the subway, and not to mention I’m taking up your wonderful dog’s room, and I need to see Mister Graves, I mean, your brother, and find out what damage I caused.”

David raised both brows,

“Whoa. Slow down. How could you be in trouble for anything? It sounds like you just got caught in the crossfire of some kind of duel. You’re fine. You forget, Sport usually sleeps with me anyway, just like you did, uh, technically. Besides, I’ll help you find a place. I’ve got some money.”

Credence didn’t notice how the man seemed to stumble over the middle of his little speech, but he heard that he definitely needed to leave. Even if it was said nicely.

Tears burned in his eyes again and he looked away from David to stare a hole into his remaining mashed potatoes.

“I’m sorry, I’m always a problem, a burden, a useless waste of space.”

He was parroting the things he’d always been told, and they still tasted wrong somehow.

The screech of a chair moving registered mildly, before he felt a hand on his face, warm, solid, thumbs brushing away his tears, and then the hand slid to the back of his neck, such a familiar gesture it made him tremble.

He was being pulled up and into a tight embrace before he could protest.

“Shh-hh. Stop. You’re nothing of the sort.”

Credence brought his arms up to wrap around the man’s waist, his thin frame suddenly seeming dwarfed by David’s build.

“But I’m…”

A kiss.

Pressed to the side of his temple, but still definitely that. Dimly he remembered that in the bible, Jesus had been betrayed by such a thing. Strange in that, he rather wanted it to continue, not end in destruction.

He turned to lean in close, and buried his face into the curve of the man’s shoulder and neck, and just let David hold him.

When his knees started to ache from being locked, and he was getting dizzy, he pulled back and patted a hand on the man’s chest,

“Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me for human decency Credence. I’m just sorry you’ve never experienced it before meeting me, or while knowing my brother.”

There was a hand on the back of his neck again, fingers gentle at the nape, pressing against his skin, grounding him.

He swallowed and he saw David’s eyes drop. He didn’t know what the man was looking at, until he licked his lips unconsciously and the man seemed to forcibly look back up at his own eyes.

“Do you…”

He was  _ not  _ Mister Graves, and he had not demanded anything from Credence in return for the gentle touches, and the insistence that he deserves praise, not condemnation. He was not, he was  _ not  _ the same, but Credence could not stop himself from  _ hoping _ , from leaning in, kissing right below the perfectly trimmed mustache, to press his mouth into David’s, in a horribly pale imitation of what he had accidentally seen or stumbled upon in some alleyways.

The gasp of surprise that escaped the man vanished into the space between them, and the hand on his neck tightened a bit, holding him still, so he couldn’t stop it if he wanted to.

“You’re so sweet. Too good, too pure to lower yourself to this.”

David broke away to breathe, and Credence gulped, dropping his gaze to somewhere around his toes.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have,” He paused, unsure how to properly atone for such an overstep.

The man’s hand moved from his neck to grasp at his bony shoulder, and the other hand around his waist gentled, but then shifted to land on a hip.

“Credence… you deserve so much better than, well, than me. You’re just confused. You like Percy. You want him. Hmm?”

Credence shook his head, and listed forward again, desperate now,

“No, no, I like  _ you _ . Please, please hold me, say nice things.”

He brought his arms up to wrap around David’s neck and brace on his shoulders, and he knew the man could feel that his legs were about to give out, so, reluctantly perhaps, he pulled Credence up, hoisted against his chest, and started walking them out of the living room.

Softness met the back of his knees, and then David was lying beside him, just cuddling him close, much like he’d seen the dog, Sport, do, huddled up against his side, before falling asleep, and shifting around to lay at his feet.

“You feel okay now?”

Credence shook his head slightly, putting a hand to the man’s chest, sliding his fingers over the fabric of his shirt, the thump of his rapid heartbeat almost shocking. Surely that meant he was okay, that he didn’t mind Credence throwing himself at him.

“Can we…”

He broke off, he didn’t know what he was asking, didn’t know how to put to words what he wanted, needed,  _ craved _ , beyond the constant contact, the hands on him, not out to hurt but to console. The words of praise, the ease of conversation. Being noticed.

He saw David swallow, and then he was reaching up to take off his glasses, and leaning over him, placing them safely on the bedside table.

Now he was mostly on top of Credence, but he didn’t mind. The man’s weight was grounding, the presence welcome.

How many times had he dreamed of being shoved into the unforgiving brick wall by Mister Graves? Too many to count. Although what was happening was entirely different, it also wasn’t.

“You’re dazzling, you know that? You really are. No wonder my…”

He broke off, and Credence found he was blushing. David was telling him he thought he was attractive. He could scarcely believe it.

The man put a hand to his cheek, and just held him a moment, staring down into his eyes, before the gaze dropped to his lips, it had to be.

“Tell me to stop, at any time.”

Not likely.

Credence could feel the press of the man’s belly against his own more concave stomach and after a few moments of kissing, there was something hard digging into his thigh.

“Sorry, sorry. Maybe this is a bad idea… I mean, of course it is.”

The man was muttering, and Credence felt his throat start to close up, his tears returning with a vengeance.

“Why? What’s wrong?”

David sighed,

“I don’t want to uh, alarm you.”

“How do you mean?”

“This… doesn’t usually happen from a little making out.”

David sounded a bit breathless now, and Credence felt the man’s other hand take one of his, and guide it between them, past the waistband of his pants, to the hard bulge that was pressed to his leg.

“Oh.”

He knew  _ exactly _ what it was now. He’d never been allowed to explore or touch himself, it was a sin, akin to what he had even initiated between them, with a simple kiss. Fanning the flames of forbidden arousal.

He’d thought since he was already an abomination by being a wizard, by housing dark magical forces, that why not express what he wanted, and be damned for it all.

“Do you want to stop?”

Credence bit his lip, and then moved his hand, not quite pulling out of David’s grasp, but merely shifting closer, rubbing against the man’s hard length with purpose, and he watched as the man’s eyes fluttered shut, his lips parting in a sigh.

“No.”

Another kiss began, more slow and sloppy, as Credence kept his lips open slightly, allowing the man to lick inside tentatively, before deepening it, letting their tongues meet, and press together, along with the spit slick glide of their lips.

It was dizzying, the way a simple kiss could make his blood heat, and he hardly knew what was happening until the warmth bloomed further in his stomach, and spread down, making his own shameful hardness thicken and grow, until he was mindlessly rubbing against David’s thigh, braced between his legs, and the kiss broke, just so that the man could murmur to him,

“Is this alright? Does that feel good? You’re perfect, Credence. A wonder.”

Credence wasn’t sure what to say, words seemed to have abandoned him in favor of the kinds of sounds he’d never expected to hear from himself.

A moan ripped out of his throat at the brush of a hand over his groin, and David was chuckling,

“I guess that’s a yes? Would you be okay with me taking these off?”

Credence just nodded, mindlessly, and the next thing he knew, David’s warm hand was stroking over his sensitive bare skin.

He could only feel miles and miles of bodily contact now, and it only made him cling tighter to the man, frantically kissing him back, ignoring the jolt of surprise as he kept his left hand against the man’s hardness.

It felt a bit slippery, which he knew had to happen eventually, as he’d woken from many sinful dreams to wetness in his pants.

“We don’t have to, I mean, you don’t… how much do you know about… this?”

David was once again rambling a bit, and Credence blinked up at him, glad that the man’s hand hadn’t stopped moving on his cock.

“I know a little. This sort of thing between men and women is to be in marriage. Between us it’s…”

David quirked a brow at him, before giving him a quick kiss, and attempting to kiss down his neck,

“Please don’t say wrong.”

Credence swallowed as he felt a bit of what had to be desire flare through him as the man’s thumb rubbed right over the tip of his length.

“I,” He tried to think, squeezing his eyes shut, but that only made the pleasure more intense, “No. Okay. it’s just, everything I know about fornication is what I learned from the bible.”

“Then just uh, let me make it feel good for you, okay?”

Credence opened his mouth to ask how on earth the man could do that without him doing anything else in return but stopped when David moved further down, dragging his lips and tongue over his chest. It was the least sensitive part of his body, so he thought, until one of the man’s hands splayed overtop his heart, and then fingers grazed his left nipple.

“Oh!”

His hips bucked up automatically, and he could feel the man hum against his skin, still shifting downward, until he suspected he knew what was going to happen next.

He was proven blissfully correct as warm wetness enveloped the head of his cock, and his hands moved to grip the sheets.

“God…”

Blaspheming didn’t matter now, did it?

He squeezed his eyes shut, and his mind drifted, overwhelmed with his arousal, until he didn’t even feel solid anymore.

Opening his eyes, he discovered he was hovering over the bed, gazing down at David’s panting form, lying flat on his back, one hand on his chest, the other stroking his own cock.

From that vantage point he decided he could say yes, the man was good looking, if a bit unconventionally so. Fondness welled up inside him, and he didn’t even have to focus to fall back into himself, gently landing atop the man in a tangle of limbs.

“ _ What  _ was that?”

David asked, his voice soft, soothing, and Credence couldn’t help but smile.

“I think it just felt so good I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t hurt you did I?”

David shook his head.

“You just worried me a little. One second you were pressing deeper down my throat, the next, poof. Gone.”

Credence ducked his head and felt his cheeks heating.

He’d been inside the man’s mouth. He’d  _ wanted _ to do that to Credence.

Now that he was back to being, he leaned up on his knees, straddling the man’s waist effectively, and swooped down to kiss him lightly, before reaching to pull the man’s hand off his member, to replace it with his own.

The heady feeling of being able to take credit for the way David’s face went slack and his kiss grew less coordinated was something Credence never wanted to get used to.

_ He _ did that.

He made a man mindless with pleasure.

He barely even noticed how the man’s cock had made a mess of his hand and actually held it up, staring at it perhaps a bit longer than necessary, before he realized David was watching him.

“Shall I clean that for you, with some magic?”

Credence shook his head, daringly putting it to his mouth, pressing his tongue to his index finger, tasting the slick.

“Whoa. You can’t just do that to a man without warning.”

Credence blinked,

“What?”

“Well,  _ that _ .”

David sat up and pressed a fierce kiss to his mouth, guiding his hand away, and a tingling sensation met his skin as he realized the man had used magic to wipe it away.

“You have no idea how sexy you are, do you?”

David murmured against his neck, arms wrapping around him swiftly, pulling him close, into a very tactile sort of hug.

“No, I guess not.”

Credence let the man shift their position, so they were lying side by side, and he felt as the blankets and sheets tucked around them, as his exhaustion flared up in full force again.

“It’s okay. Just sleep.”

David’s hand was gentle on his brow, stroking his hair back from his face.

Credence smiled sleepily, and snuggled closer.

“Thank you.”


	3. Chapter 3

David had been half afraid it had just been some dream and that he’d wake up to find the dark cloud still hovering around the end of the bed, beside Sport. Until he stirred in the middle of the night and felt a slender arm over his waist, and quiet snores emanating from the creature next to him.

It was real.

The little cloud that had manifested a pale ethereal being from nothingness was actually the boy named Credence, with infinite sadness held in dark eyes.

Oh, that was rather poetic.

Fully awake now, David shifted back a bit to just look at Credence, watching him as he slept, perhaps for the first time in a long few days. Sure, he’d napped in the meadow, but that had not been nearly long enough. He really was enchanting, and even with only a known witch mother, there had to be a chance he had some Veela in his ancestry. There was no other explanation.

No explanation made sense for why else he wanted to just pin the boy to the bed and kiss him breathless, then maybe ask him if he would put those plush lips on  _ his _ cock…

But no. No pushing the boy into anything. Besides, David had more important concerns. Like the boy’s wardrobe, or lack thereof.

Credence had been in raggedy clothing, and no shoes, but that would easily be fixed. David would just modify some of his things, and let him try on some boots.

Once that was settled, he really did want to ensure Credence had a place to live on his own. He had certainly earned it, living in whatever sort of awful foster home he’d escaped from. Again, Percy would have to know more. David knew that even if the President didn’t send him word when his brother was released from medical care, it would be easy enough to find him. He was far too proud to stay out of work long.

It felt strange enough for  _ him _ to have avoided going in for two days now, but he supposed he had reasons enough. An almost death in the family, mysterious being following him home, that sort of thing had to be understandable.

The truth was, he only worked to keep himself busy. He didn’t even need to. When Percy and his parents had passed, the entirety of the Graves fortune had been granted to them. Almost five decades of a legacy that had been built upon further by their father and even their mother. They were not spoiled by any means, but after Ilvermorny, there had been numerous doors opened to them, which had simply been because of their name.

Percy had taken one, and David had merely considered another before changing his mind. He’d once thought he could be a teacher, until he realized that he would be surrounded by people who grew up hearing about the wonderful things his  _ brother _ did, and it was severely disheartening. Then their father had died, and the whole world had seemed to come to a screeching halt. Work no longer mattered.

Trying to find a place in the world to carve out his name like Percy, wasn’t important. He took the first job he stumbled upon, merely to have something to get up and go to every day.

When the sun finally rose that morning, he didn’t quite crawl out of bed so much as stumble, swerving towards the bathroom to shower before attempting to cook breakfast.

Credence was still sound asleep when he came back out and changed from his bathrobe into suitable work clothes. So he summoned a pair of trousers and a nice button up, transfiguring it to be more the boy’s size, before carefully setting them on the end of the bed, avoiding where Sport had been lying and abandoned some black and white hair. He went out to the kitchen and had just started up the coffee when the fireplace chimed.

“Oh boy.”

Sport followed him as he walked into the living room, kneeling in front of the green flames, inside which the President’s face appeared almost immediately.

“Mister Graves.”

“Yeah that’s me.”

“Your brother has requested your presence. Will four this afternoon work for you?”

David pretended to consider, rubbing his chin thoughtfully before shrugging.

“I suppose I can do a half day at my job and then rush over to wherever you’re keeping him.”

The President sighed,

“He’s not anywhere fancy. He’s at his home. Round the clock medical care seemed to only annoy him, once he was healed enough to snap at people. But he’s being monitored, as well as anyone who apparates in and out of his place.”

“Naturally.”

“Only myself and you will be keyed into the wards. Keep that in mind.”

“Is that some kind of threat?”

The President shook her head,

“Not at all. But it’s a warning, you can’t bring that,” she paused to make a face, “Animal with you.”

David frowned,

“I wasn’t going to.”

“I’m just reminding you. Good day Mister Graves.”

A flash of green and she was gone, replaced by the cheery orange flicker of normal flames, and David groaned.

“Why is she so clinical?”

He wasn’t really asking Sport, but he received a cold nose nuzzle against his hand for his answer. He got back up and returned to the kitchen to finish preparing breakfast, for two, he had to remind himself, and glanced up only once when he heard his dog scamper out only to follow Credence back into the living room and towards the dining room.

He had pulled on the clothing David had fixed for him, and looked rather, nice. David didn’t wear formal business suits every day like Percy had, but he still liked to think he could dress better than the common man.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning D-david.”

Credence ducked his head and smoothed his hands over the front of his shirt, and smiled slightly as Sport walked past him to David’s side, hovering and awaiting a gift of bacon.

“Did you sleep well?”

David eyed him as he poured them each a glass of orange juice and mug of coffee, and Credence nodded.

“No nightmares.”

“That’s good. Did you have them before? When you weren’t, uh, corporeal?”

Credence finally met his gaze, and then shook his head,

“Not since I’ve been here.”

David felt his breath catch in his throat, as he realized what the boy was really saying.

He didn’t know how to reply to that, so he just started serving the food, and hoping that Credence would like it.

Considering that he couldn’t bring the boy along to visit his brother, he decided to avoid mentioning it, and simply told him that he’d be out to work till the evening, and would he be okay on his own?

Credence nodded.

“I can just clean, or do some other work around here.”

“Nonsense. Just help yourself to some books, and feel free to eat around noon. You need to get into the habit of eating regularly, until you can no longer count your ribs… hmm?”

David tried to smile, to show the boy he was concerned and looking out for him, but Credence just nodded, earnest as could be.

“Yes Mister David.”

The formality took him by surprise, but he found he didn’t mind it. Before he could think better of it, he gave Credence a quick kiss on the cheek before he stepped outside the apartment to apparate to work.

Work dragged like it never had before, and by the time it was four in the afternoon, David thought he might jump out of his skin for the need he had to see his brother, to ensure he was truly alive, and well, if recovering a bit.

When he landed outside the brownstone that held his brother’s apartment, he could almost taste the sheer amount of magic that surrounded the building. The President had not been kidding about the protection that Percy needed, it seemed.

He felt the wards allow him through, almost reluctantly, like molasses stretching out in winter, as he climbed the stairs manually, too worried that apparating now would not end well. Number twelve looked shinier, but David didn’t know if it was from the magic or simply because Percy shined his own door.

He lifted a hand to knock, and instead ended up pushing the door open with the contact of his fist, and moving forward, he found Percy himself sitting on his couch, black leather of course, facing the fireplace and holding a heavy tome in hand.

“David.”

“Percy.”

His brother winced at the nickname, but he wasn’t about to take it back.

“Did Picquery send you? She said she’d be by this afternoon… but perhaps she meant tomorrow…”

Percy sighed heavily and closed the book with a snap, just as David stepped inside far enough to allow the door to swing shut behind him.

“Care to explain why I was originally told to plan a funeral?”

As he got closer, he noticed Percy’s face had a few new lines, something no healer could erase, and the streaks of silver that he used to get for vanity’s sake at his temples had bled into the rest of his hair, along with a shadow of a beard on his chin and neck.

He was not his well put together self.

When he moved to stand, he winced and put a hand to his side, telling David something was wrong without a word.

“Sit down, don’t bother getting up on my account. Clearly something bad happened, you were attacked, and you need to tell me everything, right now, damned the fucking clearance level.”

Percy actually looked surprised at his boldness, and David knew in that instant, that whatever it was, it was bad.

“Well… you’ve read the papers, right? You’ve heard about Grindelwald. It was what sent me to Europe in the first place.”

David had seen the attention grabbing headlines, but he didn’t generally buy newspapers, unless it was Sunday, and then only for the comics.

“Okay. So? That was almost two weeks ago.”

Percy looked infinitely more exhausted within a half second,

“David…”

His voice was a croak almost, and David bit his tongue, waiting for his brother to finish.

“You have every right to be angry with me. I’m angry with myself. But that maniac followed me.  _ Back to New York _ . He was here, right under my nose, and he stole my identity. Locked me up in my own  _ fucking _ office. I stayed late one night at work, woke up to the bastard strolling around in front of my desk. He broke past my lock spells… he got into MACUSA. To get to me.”

David couldn’t breathe.

“So, when the President told me you were dead, it was because they hadn’t found you?”

Percy nodded.

It was like a punch in the gut. To think, if Percy hadn’t endured, hadn’t ever been discovered, he never would have known what had happened.

“He manipulated people, he sentenced Tina to death… ugh.”

Percy’s head fell into his hands, and he groaned in frustration.

“I don’t know what I would have done if he’d hurt you… I guess, in a way, it’s good that we haven’t spoken since Mother…”

David blinked, seeing but not comprehending, as his vision blurred behind tears.

“No one even noticed? No one suspected?”

Percy shook his head.

“He wore my face for only three days, and he managed to fool everyone. The thing is, in the end, if it wasn’t for Newt, Scamander’s little brother you know, the city would be a wreck still… and he would have gotten away with murder.”

David looked up suddenly,

“Newt? Theseus’s brother was here?”

Percy nodded,

“He brought some case chock full of nonsense creatures here, let a few out by accident, and still ended up saving the city, despite the damage he caused. Some sort of memory altering potion in the rain for the no-majs. The cause of the three days of rain, instead of snow.”

His brother had a sad sort of smile, and seemed to be lost in thought, so David decided it was time to mention Credence.

“So it wasn’t you who hurt the boy in the subway?”

Percy’s eyes widened,

“How do you know about that? Picquery didn’t say she…”

David shook his head,

“Never mind that. But it wasn’t you, you didn’t promise to teach magic to someone you suspected was a no-maj?”

Percy was lunging at him, hands grasping his arms, suddenly frantic,

“Have you seen him? Is he all right? They told me the Obscurial had been destroyed…”

David found he couldn’t lie; he couldn’t, not when Percy actually seemed  _ concerned _ about Credence’s welfare.

“Wait… obscurial?”

So, he’d been right. In a roundabout way.

Percy nodded,

“I met him twice, on Tina’s request. Just to keep an eye on the group he was a part of. The second salemites. He was very… special. Even before I learned his parents had been magical, his birth parents mind you, I had a strong inkling that he wasn’t just a another no-maj, or even a half-blood.”

David wasn’t stupid. He could see in the way his brother spoke that he was not immune to the innocent manner of which Credence could draw someone in.

“But Grindelwald told me  _ that _ was what he was after. He stole my memories, of the two meetings I’d attended. He said he could see visions of what was causing the destruction throughout the city. Things the President and I had been prepared to attribute to  _ his _ followers. How blind I was. How wrong we all were.”

David could feel his brother go slack, and the excitement of knowing that Credence was okay drained out of him, as he slumped back against the couch, dark gaze landing on the fire once more.

“He’s safe. He’s alive. He found me. He mistook me for you, at first. I think he must have gotten caught out in that rainstorm that erased the no-majs.”

Percy looked over at him sharply,

“You’re serious? You know where Credence Barebone is?”

David nodded, and the light in his brother’s eyes returned in a heart stopping instant before fading away again,

“Oh god. He probably hates me. He thinks it was me… but... he didn’t attack you?”

David shook his head,

“He wasn’t even human for a few days. He appeared like, well, I guess a small fraction of the obscurus.”

Percy cocked a brow at him,

“Really? How extraordinary. He managed to survive an attack from a team of Aurors… what a marvel.”

David felt a smile quirk his lips at that,

“You have no idea.”

Percy snorted,

“I should think I do. I just wish there was a way to apologize.”

“It wasn’t your fault. You’re a powerful wizard Percy, but you’re no match for Grindelwald. No one is.”

Percy sighed,

“Well, apparently one of Scamander’s creatures ended up helping stop him. So perhaps you’re right. No  _ man _ is.”

“How long will you be here, like this?”

Under house arrest, he didn’t say.

He couldn’t sneak Credence in to see Percy while the President was keeping such a close eye on him, if indeed Grindelwald had been trying to…  _ collect _ him, and the President herself thought the obscurial was gone.

“I don’t know. I think I’ll try to go back to work next week.”

David raised his eyebrows,

“Are you serious?”

Percy huffed impatiently.

“Of course. They can’t fucking expect me to hand in my resignation, this was  _ their _ fuck up.”

David shrugged,

“I suppose…”

“What?”

“Why don’t you just ask for paid vacation? Are they going to say no?”

Percy considered it, and David could see the exact moment he decided fuck it, he would.

“All right. So how’s Sport?”

David smiled,

“We’re moving on to polite conversation now? No more state secrets?”

Percy eyed him,

“Don’t push your luck.”

 

When David walked back into his apartment after leaving his brothers place, Sport bounded up to him, excited for him to be home at last. After saying hello, he looked over and saw that Credence was curled up on the carpet in front of the fireplace. He felt something inside his chest clench and unclench in a moment, and he walked over to the boy before kneeling down to reach out and pet his hair.

Sport followed him over and was already licking at the boy’s face, waking him far more rudely than David would have liked. Credence blinked dazedly and then his dark eyes focused on him, and he smiled slowly.

“You’re home. I missed you.”

David couldn’t help smiling back, and when the boy put a hand in his, he pulled him to his feet, only to be almost bowled over by a hug, and the way Credence nuzzled his face into the crook of his neck was damned adorable.

Sport was gone, off to get a drink or something in the kitchen, one less thing to worry about tripping over, as David carefully extricated himself from his houseguest, moving to follow after his dog, ensure his food dish and water dish were refilled proper.

“Did you have lunch, or should I fix something?”

Credence licked his lips and nodded,

“I made a sandwich around noon.”

David had thought he was hungry too, but the longer the boy looked at him, the less he felt like he wanted food in lieu of something else.

“What would you like for dinner?”

He couldn’t help putting a hand on Credence when he got close enough, rubbing his arm, feeling as he leaned closer, seeking out more contact, arms wrapping around his stout waist, chin tucked against his shoulder blades.

“I don’t know. Usually I just had soup. Watery. Stale bread.”

David blinked, and then looked back at him to find the boy’s gaze wistful, distant.

“You’ll never have to have stale anything ever again, thanks to magic.”

If he didn’t make a joke about it, he’d be frustrated and angry at people that no longer presented any threat to Credence.

“What else can magic do?”

Credence almost sounded breathless, and instantly David was no longer interested in making anything, unless it meant hearing more of that.

“Many wonderful things.”

He turned around and leaned in for a kiss, which Credence met him halfway in, and he could almost taste the eagerness.

“Show me?”

“Of course.”

The next thing he knew, they were lounging on David’s bed, and Credence was shrugging out of his borrowed clothing, pale skin golden from the setting sunlight, and a smile so beautiful it threatened to take David’s breath away.

“Do you want me to…?”

His hand grazed over David’s cock, hard and hot in his trousers, and he nodded before he could find the words to say  _ ‘Merlin, yes please.’ _

Credence went slow, undoing the zip and button, first stroking over the shaft of it once with a tentative hand, but eventually he worked his way up to swallowing around the entire length, short circuiting David’s brain, wiping away the previous stray thought he had about possibly teaching the boy something else entirely.

“Please, please, yes, just like that.”

When he hummed around David’s cock, delighted at the praise, it was like he had consumed a lightning bolt. He put a hand to Credence’s head, fingers stroking through his hair, trying not to tug, to push, to rush.

“That’s good, feels amazing.”

As he felt himself get closer to the edge, and the boy was flicking his tongue across the head, as if trying to tease him like some kind of ice cream treat, he gently urged him backwards.

Credence blinked up at him, wide eyed and clearly confused.

His lips were split slick and pink from kissing.

David got a bit lost staring before remembering  _ why _ he’d stopped the boy.

“I don’t want to come yet. It’ll be the end of it.”

He laughed a bit nervously and Credence flushed.

“What else can we do?”

Every word scraped its way out of his throat, and he sounded a bit like he’d swallowed a frog,

“I could help you relax enough to uh, let me inside you.”

Credence remained silent a heart stoppingly long moment, making David think he’d gone too far, until the boy nodded, and laid back onto the bed, letting his legs fall open.

“How does that work?”

“Like this.”

David hovered over him slightly, pressing in for a kiss, before continuing down, putting his mouth over every possible inch of pale unmarked skin he could see, pausing only to linger a moment beside the boy’s cock, and licking over the head just to see how it made him tremble, shifting lower, caressing the silky skin of his sack, and just grazing a hand past his taint and the spot between his legs.

“Oh! That’s… you shouldn’t…”

“Do you want me to stop?”

David quirked a brow at him, and put a chaste kiss to Credence’s inner thigh, watching as the boy shook his head eventually.

“No, but...that’s very…”

“Wrong?”

Credence’s cheeks flushed, and he nodded.

“Well, not if I want to. I do, very much.”

If for no other reason than to try and get Credence off without ever having to really touch his cock, David amended.

Indeed, it was the closest thing to feeling divine, working the boy apart with his lips and tongue, devouring him like some kind of hor d'oeuvre, pressing first one, then two fingers inside his hole, watching him squirm and pant out a gasp, his slender thighs braced apart only by David’s shoulders and free hand, before nudging the boy through his orgasm, cock spurting untouched onto his stomach and up to his chest, while David thought he could almost come from just seeing such a thing.

He didn’t want to though, what he really wanted was to be inside Credence when he came, and he finally confessed as much, crawling back up the length of his slender form, and marking the side of his neck as gently as he could bear.

“What about you?” Credence asked, voice a strangled whisper, and David could feel his cheeks heating, as he dragged a hand down the boy’s stomach, twirling his fingers to clean him up with magic.

“I was hoping I could uh, have you.” There was no more delicate way to put it.

Credence had a shaky hand at the back of his neck and he squeezed it gently,

“You do have me.”

David laughed again,

“I mean, well…”

He didn’t quite rut himself on the boy’s thigh, but the realization dawned within a few moments, and Credence’s blush spread down his chest.

“Oh. Yes. Please do.”

David kissed the smile on the boy’s face until it melted into a sigh, and then shifted to kneel between Credence’s legs, putting a hand to each thigh to tug them up to frame his waist.

“If anything is too much, let me know.”

Credence nodded, watching wide eyed as David stroked his own length, a wordless lubrication spell adding more slickness to both his cock and the boy’s entrance.

Pressing inside was overwhelming, and David had to stop after a moment, catching his breath, and praying he wouldn’t come yet, wouldn’t embarrass himself horribly.

Credence’s bony ankles locked together behind his ass, forcing him deeper, and David groaned low and long, bracing himself on his elbows, panting over the boy.

The angle wasn’t perfect, but it felt so good, he couldn’t stop babbling about it, praises spilling out of him as eagerly as Credence’s tears dripped off his cheeks.

“David… it’s like, it’s like…”

“Shh-hh, it’s okay. I’ve got you.”

David didn’t know anything else, as his climax ripped through him, making him arch his back and press a spot inside the boy that clearly stole his focus, as he fell forward onto nothingness, panting and watching his cock twitch a final time in midair before spurting his release onto the sheets.

He fell onto his side, breathing hard, glancing up at the ceiling to see the familiar black cloud swirling and writhing around, before resuming solidity, and floating back down.

Credence was glistening with a sheen of sweat, and his dark hair stuck to his forehead, but David thought he was the most glorious thing he’d ever seen.

“Bit much?”

He joked, and the boy blushed again.

“I’m sorry. I’d never felt  _ anything _ like that, even when you had your mouth…  _ there _ , it wasn’t quite as intense.”

David wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or not, but he’d been rather relieved not to end up with a mouthful of Obscurus smoke in favor of ass.

“It won’t happen again, I promise.”

David waved a hand about, feeling utterly wiped out,

“No, no, don’t worry about that. Just, maybe practice on your own sometime. Try to maintain form while you, uh, finger yourself, or just touch yourself in the shower, something like that.”

Credence snuggled against his side, clammy warmth still very much welcome,

“I like it better when you do it.”

David petted his bare back soothingly,

“I appreciate that, but no one knows your body better than you.”

Credence hummed again, some mindless hymn probably, and David drifted off, completely forgetting they had skipped dinner.

It didn’t matter whose stomach was growling, but it was Sport jumping up onto the bed and licking David’s cheek that woke him first, then the way Credence tightened his arm around his waist, and hugged him, pressing his face against his shoulder,

“Donwannagetupyet.”

David smiled, and ran his fingers through the boy’s hair fondly,

“I know my boy, but it’s time we get something substantial to eat.”

Instead of trying to get them both fully dressed, David slipped out of bed and pulled on his bathrobe, before returning for Credence, scooping him up along with the blanket he was wrapped in most of the way, carrying him out to the kitchen, followed closely by Sport. He set him into a chair, charming it to have a higher armrest so that the boy would have something to lean onto, until he was completely awake, and then he turned to the stove and started preparing a basic breakfast.

Finally he had managed to survive work to make it to the weekend, and he wouldn’t have to beg off anymore, he would have two whole days to spend with Credence, and going to see Percy again was very high on his to-do list.

He didn’t know how he was going to bring it up to the boy, but he supposed it would go over better once he’d had some food.

Once the kitchen was filling with delicious smells and sounds of cooking, Credence began to stir, and looked around a bit, before smiling.

“Is that all for me?”

David was hovering a plate and mug towards him, letting it set gently on the table in front of the boy, 

“Of course. Don’t worry if you can’t finish it. I’m sure you need practice uh, eating proper meals still.”

It had only been three days since Credence had been himself, even though he’d been in David’s house almost a week.

“Thank you.”

He dug into his food the second he’d finished what looked like a silent prayer, and David simply  drank his coffee slowly as he watched.

The healthy glow in Credence’s cheeks wasn’t just from their erm, activities, it appeared that just being in a warm and welcoming environment was doing wonders for him.

By the time he’d finished his food, or as much of it as he could, David couldn’t keep quiet any longer, and he cleared his throat, snagging the boy’s attention almost at once.

“Credence, you know my brother is out of the uh, hospital, right?”

The boy nodded, blinking solemnly at him.

“I’m glad he’s feeling better.”

“Me too. I’m quite certain he’d like to see you sometime. 

Credence’s eyes widened,

“Really? I can’t believe he even remembers me.”

The boy’s voice broke, and David looked over to find his dark eyes shining with tears.

“Oh… no of course he does. He does. You were important to him, you…”

“But it wasn’t him in the subway, so that means before, when he told me he could teach me, and he held me…”

The boy trailed off and David was struck with the confusion and frustration he must have been feeling, at the thought of coming face to face with his brother again.

How quickly had Credence fallen for Percy, David wondered. How quickly would anyone in his position, in his home environment, respond to such attention and kind words and sweet promises, even if made by someone merely wearing Percival Graves’ face?

Oh, Credence never had a chance.

Looking at the boy now, there, as he was, happy, and getting better, he decided he’d had just as much of a chance to not be swept up and enchanted by the creature born from a wisp of smoke. Little to none.

“Let’s make something to bring to him. Percy loves chocolate chip cookies. With almonds. He’ll never tell anyone. But I know all his secrets.”

Credence blinked away his tears, and managed a smile,

“Okay. Show me how?”

David nearly choked on his final sip of coffee.

“You don’t know how to bake? Even without magic?”

Credence shook his head.

Of course. A house with little food had no room for excess.

“Well then, time you learned.”

* * *

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is one hundred percent inspired by
> 
> @bygoneboy ‘s wonderful kiss from [shoreline](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8679985)

Credence couldn’t remember laughing so hard as when he and David made the first batch of cookies, and he accidentally set them on fire. David had merely sighed and consoled him by saying,

“Well next time we’ll take them out with _ out _ magic.”

Eventually they finished one dozen and got them wrapped up nicely in cellophane with gold and navy ribbons, that David created, and declared the kitchen closed for the day. 

“Percy will love these.”

“Even though they took three hours to get right?”

David nodded and hugged him close, pressing a kiss to his cheek, before helping straighten his jacket, and walking them to the side of the street that they would use to travel from. 

“Disapparate from here, and…?”

Credence licked his lips and tried to remember from the books he’d been reading,

“...Apparate there?”

David nodded and smiled at him,

“Exactly right.”

They landed on a street that was almost the same as David’s home street, but to Credence it appeared as if there was a silver haze covering the building, and he knew it had to be magic. He could feel it as they climbed the steps and walked inside, before David urged him in a certain direction with a gentle hand at the small of his back. He tried not to lean into it too much, after all, it wasn’t even meant to be affectionate, though the man was, very much so almost all the time.

He couldn’t quite decide what he was feeling for his rescuer, now faced with the prospect of reuniting with the Mister Graves who’d first hypnotized him with the promise of magic and a new life, until it had all been destroyed with the slap of a hand.

‘ _ It wasn’t him. _ ’

He had to keep reminding himself of that, even as David opened the door to the man’s apartment and walked in first, as if trying to shield him even as he made unnecessary introductions. 

But what a stark contrast it was, seeing the man who he’d once gazed longingly at from across busy streets and crowded sidewalks sitting on a couch, now looking like any other person, a blanket over his lap as a fire blazed, with a steaming mug of something on the low table in front of him, and a hint of a beard shadowing his chin, while the familiar silver still highlighted his temples but went up into the rest of his hair a bit. 

Oh it was Mister Graves all right, but as Credence had never imagined him.

He stumbled on his step forward, and David caught him with a steady hand on his arm, still nudging him forward. The silence was deafening until Credence realized Mister Graves was staring at him, stock still, eyes burning over the surface of his skin, drinking in the sight of him.

“It  _ is _ you.”

He finally let himself meet that strong dark gaze, and felt a sliver of warmth snake down his spine. David had dropped his hand, and was shuffling backwards, mumbling about putting the cookies in the kitchen, and Credence took another step closer, and was so near he could touch Mister Graves before he realized what had happened.

He knelt first, and then sat gingerly on the couch a few inches away from the solid and strong form of the man, eyeing what looked like a scar running from the side of his neck down past his crisp white shirt collar, disappearing beyond what he could see. But he wanted to. He wanted to see if there were more, were they equally marked? Of course, no… Credence’s scars had vanished with his rebirth, with his return to form, he had used his magic for good, selfishly, healing all those reminders that he was wrong, different, a  _ freak _ . 

Now Mister Graves carried his own scars like badges of honor. He’d survived many battles before, Credence knew, from what David had told him about his brother, which was very little, but he knew a bit more than the man thought.

Soldiers who came back from the war, less than what they’d been when they left sometimes had stopped inside the church, only leaving when they realized the Second Salemites were not interested in them beyond what they could do for the organization. A true church would help them.

Credence was glad to be rid of his past, as much as he could be. 

He tried to think of something polite and breezy to say, to ask Mister Graves, but words failed him when the man reached over tentatively and set a hand upon his own, resting on the minor space between them. It was like an electric shock, like one of those bright flashes of magic that had once hurt him, pierced him through. But it softened and flared, and only made him feel flushed and warmer.

“Credence… you must know how sorry I am.”

If there had ever been a shred of doubt that the man  _ wasn’t _ the real thing, that erased it all. The words bled sincerity, and Credence couldn’t help leaning in, flipping his hand over so he could grasp the man’s own, squeezing it gently.

“I know. It’s okay.”

“You must believe me, believe that if I could have prevented this, in any way, I would have broken every law it took to do so. There are a lot of pathetic rules and regulations, and if you hadn’t been what you are, we wouldn’t have been able to even have this conversation.”

That would have been much worse, Credence decided. Even if it meant avoiding pain and the pain he’d been through at the hands of his own kind’s enforcers had been considerable, almost enough to kill, he wouldn’t give that back if it meant never knowing if Mister Graves was alive, had been true, had been real.

“Did you ever…”

He stopped, afraid to put it to words, as if touching upon it would shatter it altogether, and he didn’t need to do that, didn’t need to risk the fragile peace and well,  _ something _ he had with David, but Mister Graves, oh, the first Graves was so near, and so warm, smelling of spices and hot chocolate, his senses were clouded and his head was foggy.

He was inches away from the man before he blinked, and found himself staring at the man’s mouth. Not framed by a mustache no, but surrounded by silvery stubble and his lips were pink as his tongue slipped out to wet them.

Credence was drowning in his unspoken desperate need to  _ know _ .

“Merlin,  _ yes _ .” Mister Graves breathed.

His other hand was firm and demanding at the back of Credence’s neck, like it had been before, but it hadn’t been him back then, no, so, it was  _ new _ and frightening and exciting as Mister Graves dragged him in, closing the final inch between them, pressing his lips to Credence’s, stealing a surprised gasp from him.

His eyes fell shut, and he pressed his palm flat over the man’s chest for balance, lest he tumble forward and land halfway across the man’s lap instead of into it, and he could feel the rapid thundering of his heartbeat. He was trembling and so was Credence. It hadn’t been all in his head after all.

Trying not to compare it or think about David in that moment was impossible the second the idea had popped into his mind, but truthfully, it was  _ different _ , but not in a bad way. Not in a way that felt like he should be guilty or stop. Mister Graves pulled back first, only when the kiss had been on the verge of deepening, as he’d felt a warm wet press of the man’s tongue against the seam of his mouth, and the man rested his forehead against Credence’s, panting for breath in a way that spoke of discomposure, something surely the man wasn’t capable of experiencing. 

“Credence… you remarkable creature.”

The hand at the back of his neck shifted around to cup his cheek, and it was gentle against his skin, so very far from the last touch he’d felt from the man wearing Mister Graves’ face.

‘ _ Stop comparing. _ ’ He thought furiously at himself.

The man’s other arm was wrapped around his waist, where he was still far too skinny but getting better with David’s attentions and wonderful cooking, and he wanted to melt into the embrace.

“Credence did you want some tea with your…”

The sound of porcelain shattering interrupted whatever David had been saying, and Credence winced at the way the sound echoed around the living room, before turning to find the man standing and staring, empty handed, and with a rapidly falling face.

“David…” Mister Graves started, and Credence jolted back, away, up out of his grasp, to move towards the other man, the brother who’d been caring for him so many long days, who he couldn’t bear to see looking as hurt as he did.

He ignored the shards of broken dish beneath his shoes and the fragments of cookies that had probably been perfectly arranged, and held out a hand to David, praying, wishing,  _ needing _ him to listen.

“I didn’t mean for that to happen. I wanted to tell him about… us, but I didn’t have a chance.”

David’s long gaze turned to him, finally focusing, looking and seeing him, and he softened just a hair.

“You two have… how long have you known him?”

Mister Graves’ voice was a low rasp, like the way David sounded just after waking up, and before he’d had a cup of coffee. It tugged at Credence’s heartstrings a little.

“I’ve been taking care of him. He’s been staying with me. He was all I had until I got the revised report from the President that you weren’t dead.”

David’s voice had a sharp edge to it that Credence had never heard before, and one he wasn’t sure he liked. It didn’t suit him at all.

“So what, he was just another pet you collected?”

“If anything, he chose me. He followed me home.”

“Because you look like me. He had scant memories after that magical rainstorm, and he latched on to the closest thing he could find from what he had left.”

David stepped forward, crunching over broken porcelain,

_ “You _ were reported dead. Better me than someone who might have taken advantage of him, or turned him into MACUSA first thing.”

Mister Graves got to his feet, rather unsteadily, and Credence could see him favoring his left side.

“You still took advantage of him, did you not? I can see the way you look at him, how you’re angry with me. Possessiveness is something I never thought I’d seen in you.”

Credence had heard enough. He didn’t want them to escalate to using magic against each other, and he certainly didn’t like being the cause of the fight, so he moved to stand between them, reaching out to put a gentle but firm hand on David’s chest.

“You both need to stop this now. It doesn’t matter about how I came to stay with you, or what occurred after. What matters is right now. Right now, I want to know why you’re arguing about me. Me. The most inconsequential thing. You’re someone so important,” he turned to Mister Graves, and caught a bit of nod, before looking back to David, “Someone so strong. You have each other. You don’t need me driving you apart. I don’t want to lose you, but if keeping you means losing… Percy, then I don’t want that either.”

Credence surprised himself, and the sharp inhalation of breath behind him told him Mister Graves hadn’t been expecting that either. But it felt foolish to keep calling him that. He was Percy. 

Or if he really hated that, Credence would be happy to call him Percival.

Mister Graves had been what he’d called the imposter too, and it didn’t sit right in his mind.

“You… you really feel that way?”

David sounded as if he’d been sucker punched, and Credence didn’t know what else to do, so he surged forward and wrapped his arms around the man’s neck, kissing him with the fierceness of his convictions.

It was all he had now.

David, for his part, seemed to surrender to the kiss almost instantly, his broad arms moving to hold onto Credence and ensure he didn’t back away or fall should his knees give out.

“You’re not what you think. You are of consequence, to both of us.”

“He’s right you know. So, I suppose I’ve just got several days of uh, domestics to catch up on, do I?”

They broke apart, and Credence looked back around to see Percy watching with an amused smile, far from the expression he was imagining the man would have, and he found his cheeks beginning to burn.

“Oh. I don’t know…”

David’s hand was on his face, a bit less sure than Percy’s had been, but he still nuzzled into the contact.

“I guess I can’t really blame you. He’s brilliant. How could anyone help but become besotted with you, dear boy?”

Credence swallowed around a lump building in throat. He would never be used to kind words or easy praise, but compliments like that were harder to avoid because of the way they snuck up on him, and seemed to have no ground to argue against.

“I would like to think I had a choice, but perhaps, in the end, I didn’t.”

Sometime between David almost making Credence tear up from joy and admit he might possibly be able to share him with Percy, he’d gotten up off the couch and hobbled over to completely surround Credence in an embrace, hugging him and pressing a kiss to the back of his neck.

“So I can stay with you? You won’t kick me out?”

He couldn’t help asking David, now that things had seemed to calm down, and yet the man still looked taken aback,

“If you want, yes. But I mean it, I could find you someplace, get you started with a couple months rent so you could work on finding a job…”

Percy reached over and put his hand to David’s mouth, halting his speech, and Credence almost giggled.

“Nonsense. The boy doesn’t need to use your inheritance. I’m going to be lousy with vacation time, even with all the paperwork and interviews I’ll have to give. He can stay here.”

“Back to the tug of war then?”

He quipped, watching as David quirked a brow, and Percy lowered his hand to put it on Credence’s shoulder, squeezing lightly,

“No, I just want you all to myself for a few days. Lots to catch up on, remember?”

“How domestic are we talking?”

Credence couldn’t help asking, and he felt the man behind him chuckle before he heard it, the sound almost vibrating through his body.

“Oh little frilly apron, fresh baked cookies, which I do appreciate you bringing, sorry for ruining those, maybe a kiss on the cheek when I get home from work, once I start back… that sort of thing.”

A thrill ran up his spine at the thought, and he only had to look to David to see a rare sight, a blush coloring his cheeks, and his slow smile, before dropping his gaze.

“Nothing like that ever happened between us.”

The words came out in a mumble, and Credence almost jumped as he felt one of Percy’s hands glide down his side and grasp a hip,

“Oh? Shame. I bet he looks lovely in scalloped lace.”

He couldn’t breathe, surrounded on all sides by the Graves,’ and the spell was only broken by Percy’s lips pressing into the side of his neck, as David stepped back to repair the dish underfoot, and said something about fixing dinner for them.

He was being left alone, willingly, with Percy?

“I apologize if you feel a bit uh, overwhelmed. I can’t remember the last time David and I were both interested in the same person. Usually, once they spend time with me, that’s the end of it.  David has always been too good for most people.”

Credence felt a spear of pity for the other man, and he couldn’t imagine why anyone could do such a thing, he was kind, caring and a… well. He had next to  _ no _ experience with anyone doing anything beyond kissing, until he’d met David, yet it felt wrong to mention such a thing, even if it meant defending the man to his brother.

“I’m sorry I was the first.”

Percy shook his head,

“Don’t worry about it. My brother is tougher than he looks. I can’t think of anyone else more worthy of your affections.”

“What about you?”

Percy had been watching his brother as he worked his magic in the kitchen, but he turned to Credence with something inscrutable at first in his eyes, before he realized it was sadness, tinged with regret. Even his smile looked pained, as his gaze locked on Credence’s own.

“I don’t allow myself attachments, because usually, they end badly. Our own, uh, whatsoever one might call it, still led to damage being caused on more than just a physical level, and that was merely a casual sort of... friendship. I can only imagine how much worse it might have been had Grindelwald possessed more power over you.”

As if he wanted to do it before thinking better of it, Percy pulled Credence into his arms for a brief hug, before then moving away, sitting back down on the couch, and retrieving his blanket to pull over his legs.

Credence followed, as a moth to a flame was wont to do, and sat as close as he dared,

“Had you wanted that, even after just knowing me for such a short time?”

“David wasn’t kidding. You’re easy to care about and for Credence. If I had known the power you possessed inside of you, I would have ceased feeling guilty about pursuing you, and possibly been able to save you from much of what you went through.”

“I keep hearing a lot of ‘ _ if’s _ Percy. Can’t we just be grateful for  _ now _ ? We have time.”

The man stared at him for a moment before breaking into a smile, and it was disarming enough to make Credence blush.

“Of course. Forgive me. I dwell on my regrets far too often.”

“It’s okay. You’re only human.”

 

They didn’t go from long talks in front of the fireplace to lazy walks in central park overnight, and they didn’t progress past lingering kisses or soft caresses on the backs of linked hands for a few days either. Credence knew there was no rush, even if he might have jumped into things a bit sooner with David. It had been the circumstance and it had helped him. Now it helped Percy to go slower, to build on what they had been, to try to resume what they’d left off. Which was why it took him by surprise, stopping by in the mid afternoon to bring the man a fresh pastry, from his new and very hectic job at a small bakery around the corner from David’s place, when Percy summarily tugged him inside the apartment by his hand on a wrist, and pressed him into the closed door with his mouth on Credence’s own.

“Mmmph… Percy what are you…?”   
His other hand was freed from the paper bag by the man floating it away into the kitchen with a wandless spell, and then his other hand was palming his groin, already thickening and aching for such a touch. He hadn’t exactly been messing around with David while trying to be patient for his brother.

“I need you, right now.”

The man’s mouth was hot against his neck, his breath smelling of peppermint, and Credence thought his eyes were crossing from the sheer amount of sensory overload he was experiencing. How many times had he dreamed about the moment when he could finally do more with Percy? Too many.

It was why he’d taken to sleeping in the guest room proper while still staying with David, he’d been self denying for three days now. Stopping himself from grinding up into the man’s palm was impossible. Preventing himself from spilling into his trousers was highly unlikely. If Percy didn’t stop doing that biting thing against the sensitive skin below his ear… oh but he did, and he felt the heat curling at the base of his spine snap, as he arched his back, incoherent mumblings falling from his lips when he felt his cock twitch against the man’s hand, dampening the thin fabric of his pants.

“Merlin, you’re so gorgeous. I can’t believe I got so lucky. I’ve been torturing myself resisting this. But you want it too, don’t you? Tell me, please.”

Credence nodded, but it wasn’t enough, as he felt the man’s other hand grasp his jaw, forcing their eyes to meet, so he spoke aloud, his voice a croaking groan,

“Please Percy, you have me. Take me.”

That seemed a good enough answer for the man, who summarily lifted him into his arms, surely not with his strength alone, but Credence didn’t question it, too busy kissing him fiercely as he was carried down the hall and deposited gently on the man’s bed.

Percy pulled back to begin unbuttoning his shirt, fingers trembling, and Credence was blinking up at him in a daze, utterly lost as to the reason for such fervor.

“Do you want me like this?”

On the bottom, he meant, and Percy seemed to be seeing clearly for the first time in a few moments, as he nodded, and drew a hand down the length of Credence’s now bared chest, to halt at the waistband of his now messy trousers.

“Any way you’ll let me. I’d be content to rut against your thighs if it meant I could touch you and hold you in my bed.”

Credence knew it wasn’t meant to be sweet or romantic, but it still made his eyes sting all the same. When Percy vanished the rest of their clothing with an impatient hand, he gasped aloud as their bodies moved together, and the man above him collapsed to rest his forehead on his shoulder, panting as if he’d been running.

“Credence, you’ve no idea how long I’ve wanted this, wanted to ask you the moment I saw you to join me for dinner, or coffee, or just a walk away it all.”

“You don’t need to woo me Percy, I’m right here, with you, naked.”

He couldn’t help grinning, for his eyes were blurred with tears at the man’s words in spite of it all.

“Forgive me. I tend to ramble when I’m pouring my heart out.”

Credence giggled,

“That’s okay. David is the same.”

At the mention of his brother, Percy merely rolled his eyes and smiled,

“You know, normally that sort of thing would annoy me, but I suppose it’s part of learning to uh, share?”

The hand on his hip tightened and Credence yelped in surprise as Percy began to kiss away from his shoulder, down his chest, worrying a nipple before continuing on past his stomach and nuzzling his cheek against his inner thigh, seemingly bent on teasing him back to full hardness again.

“Isn’t there magic for that?”

He managed to gasp out, as the man’s lips finally made contact with the slick head of his cock, and he felt a chuckle vibrate through him,

“Yes my love, but that feels like cheating when you have youth on your side.”

He could have objected further, but Percy swallowed him down, licking and sucking over his length like he was some sort of thing to be savored and it only made him squirm closer, and beg for more. He didn’t know how to ask for the man to touch him lower, to press two fingers inside him, wring him apart from the inside out.

“Please, I need…”

His eyes closed and he couldn’t think, or speak, but luckily, perhaps Percy had bent the rules, and read his mind, because he almost lifted his hips off the bed when he felt the first brush of fingertip against his entrance, had the man not been bracing his other arm over his thigh.

“Shh-hh, there you go. I know what you want.”

“Did he tell you what we…?”

Credence stumbled over the words, heat flaring in his cheeks, and Percy shook his head with another chuckle,

“Not at all. But I’m not blind to the fact that if this had been your first time, you’d probably be exploding into tendrils of smoke, no matter your self control.”

“Oh…oh-hh… god…”

The one tentative press became two fingers, aided by a silent spell with cool slickness spreading him open, and Credence could swear he saw stars sparking in his line of sight to the ceiling.

Percy didn’t tease him much longer, and he moved his hand with purpose, while returning Credence’s throbbing cock to his mouth, humming around his length, almost pushing him towards his next orgasm.

He lay still as possible, panting as he tried to recover from the shockwaves of bliss still coursing through him, he felt Percy kissing back up his body to his cheek. When he retrieved coherency, he realized the man’s cock was nudging against his hip, and he blinked rapidly, licking his lips before attempting to speak.

“Don’t you want to fuck me?” He hoped it came off as sultry, and not hopelessly ridiculous, before he felt Percy hum against him, dragging his mouth down the side of his neck, sucking hard enough to leave a mark.

“Such language! No, my boy, I want to make love to you.”

“That’s so… sappy.”

“I know. It’s what all these picnics and candlelit dinners have turned me into a lovesick fool.”

Credence’s heart skipped a beat, even though he’d heard the endearment slip out before, knowing it hadn’t been a mistake or an accident in the heat of the moment was something else entirely.

“You… love me?”

Percy sighed, and pulled back to kiss him properly, deepening it until Credence almost forgot what he’d asked.

“My sweet marvelous love, of course I do. I couldn’t have helped myself.”

The man held him close for a moment, a naked sort of hug, before shifting back so he could more easily part Credence’s legs, and meet his stare,

“I would have begged you to move in with me so i could see you every day more easily, but I figured I’d save that for something special. Like Christmas.”

The man’s palms soothed down his thighs, before he moved to properly kneel between them, his cock bobbing up against his stomach, making Credence’s mouth water.

“Can you please…?”

“Of course. I just like to watch you. Forgive me.”

The slow press of the man’s cock into Credence was enough to drive him mad, and almost will his arousal back to full burn, but not quite.

It wasn’t until Percy had begun to move, thrusting in as deep as he could and then pulling back to tease him with the tip inside, Credence locked his ankles at the man’s back, almost forcing him back in all the way.

“Please, please, harder.”

“Merlin you’re so tight, you feel incredible…”

Percy’s words while sinfully filthy were so honest they made want to kiss the smile off of him.

Their lips met as the man’s cock brushed up against the spot inside Credence that made his eyes cross, and he couldn’t help the moan that escaped him when he felt Percy’s hips still, only to ensure that his release filled him completely, before he carefully withdrew, and collapsed beside him on the bed.

“So what brought this on Percy?”

He was dragging his hand over the man’s chest, drawing mindless shapes on his warm skin, and it was a moment before he got a reply.

“I was just thinking about, how close we’ve both come to death now, and it just seemed silly to pretend this wasn’t inevitable. Why not sooner rather than later?”

Credence tightened his arm around Percy, shifting on top of him to nuzzle his cheek into the crook of the man’s neck and shoulder,

“Don’t talk like that.”

“You know it’s true. Don’t play the naive virgin. You can’t.”

A smile quirked Percy’s lips, and Credence couldn’t help mirroring it, despite himself.

“Does that mean I can ask for my heart’s desire for Christmas, be all doomsday about it, and you’ll make it happen?”

Percy’s hand was light on his back, caressing down the ridges of his spine,

“Anything you want, anything at all, I’ll get it for you.”

Credence pursed his lips and pretended to think for a moment, but he had known what he really would prefer for days, almost since the first day of seeing Percy again, he was tired of the back and forth. He wanted to experience David’s love and see Percy fall apart, at the same time.

“Both of you. Inside me. Somehow. I want us to be together.”

The hand on his back froze, before squeezing over his ass, forcibly grinding him closer, as Percy let out a groan,

“Mercy lewis. Credence, you’re serious?”

Credence licked his lips very slow, ensuring the man was watching, and then replied,

“Yes Papa.”

He barely had time to blink before Percy was pinning him to the bed, pressing between his legs and bringing their cocks together with each move.

“Love, don’t tease a hungry tiger with the illusion of food.”

Credence had not planned for such an enthusiastic reaction, but he was delighted.

“What?”

“My boy, you’re going to drive me into that early grave yourself if you aren’t careful.”

Credence’s giggle was cut off by a gasp, as the man wrapped his hand around both their lengths, and started moving with a frantic urgency.

It was almost as if he wanted to see Credence covered in the evidence of his adoration, as well as watch it leak between his legs.

He’d come three times already that night, but somehow Percy managed to bring him off again with two fingers pressing inside him easily, turning to three in a moment, and then he was gone, floating off on a plateau of bliss.

“Just as I suspected.”

Percy chuckled to himself, eyeing the ceiling, and Credence realized he’d transformed, merely from the momentary lack of focus, and loss of control so many orgasms wrought on him.

“Sorry.”

He landed with a sigh back on the bed, and Percy leaned in to kiss his cheek,

“Not at all my love. I hope we can keep raising the threshold, I wouldn’t like that to happen when we’re  _ both _ fucking you.”

Credence nearly squealed at the thought, along with the nip that the man gave the side of his neck, a matching mark to accompany the one on the other side. He’d be going home to David looking thoroughly ravished.

The thought thrilled him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also i lied, there's one more chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the whole reason for the fic  
> ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

David hadn’t said a word when Percy had assured him all plans for the holidays were being taken care of, and as for their gift to Credence, well, he would just need to wait and see. In his mind's eye he could only imagine the sort of extravagant thing Percy had obtained for the boy, but he rather hoped that somehow, lingerie factored into it.

So many days back, when his brother had teased about their domestic situation and how Credence would play the doting housewife, he’d actually seen it, and since then, he’d been unable to stop fantasizing about it, but the mere idea of bringing it up terrified him. So what if he and Credence had already done the basics and beyond for bedroom games, it was still rather difficult for him to put to words what he wanted. David very much wanted to let Credence take the lead sometime, and fuck into him, as he would put it.

He rather wondered if it would be enough to make the boy turn back into his cloud form, or if his brother and he had already experimented with that. Somehow he suspected not. Percy didn’t seem like the type to surrender to a partner in that way, especially since his recovery was still ongoing.

Credence helped him out a lot, he’d told David as much, and he was glad, instead of feeling jealous for the amount of time he came home to an empty apartment, but for Sport, always at his side.

When Christmas Eve rolled around, or rather, seemed to sneak up on David, he was only mildly disappointed when Credence told him he would be spending it with Percy, but then, as early as he liked, he could come by and retrieve him. That meant he would be alone that night, but have Credence to himself for the entire holiday. What did Percy plan to do with it? Walk through the park in the snow by himself?

He sighed and agreed, a bit begrudgingly, before going out that afternoon and procuring a new set of cufflinks for Percy, the only sort of gift he knew his brother would accept. Trying to find a matching set of scorpions to compliment his brother’s favorite tie pins was not easy, but he managed it. The only thing the links lacked were the emerald inlays. He couldn’t possibly imagine what Percy had gotten for him, or if he’d even bothered, but considering the way his month had gone, there was a good chance he’d forgotten all about gifts for Christmas. He didn’t blame him at all.

He probably considered Credence to be his gift enough from the universe. David bit back a smile as he walked inside his apartment, urging the fireplace up to a proper crackling blaze, and Sport bounded over to welcome him home.

“Just us tonight boy. What do you think? Turkey for dinner sound all right?”

Sport just licked at his hand after getting his usual ear scratching, and David set Percy’s present aside to be wrapped later, so he could focus on making dinner. Dinner for one, and a half, as it were.

The food was good, but the meal seemed to drag along without the usual cheery conversation that Credence would initiate, so David found himself starting to doze off on the couch, warmed by the slowly dying fire, with Sport tucked up against his feet. He came to past midnight, and he realized it had been because he’d gotten cold, so he stumbled off to bed, the click of Sport’s nails on the floor assuring him he was following, before collapsing into bed, the last conscious thought of Credence, and how he couldn’t wait to see him.

The next morning he didn’t so much walk as run to the shower, and throw on his sunday best, snatch up Percy’s present, before calling a hasty goodbye to Sport and disapparating the second his foot hit the sidewalk. Upon walking up to Percy’s front door, he didn’t knock, half past caring about walking in on something untoward. What he didn’t expect was the fancy christmas tree in his brother’s living room, along with the present wrapped in a red bow sitting in front of it. The present being a completely naked Credence, kneeling and shivering slightly at the sight of him.

“David…”

He thought maybe he was having a heart attack by the way his breath caught in his chest, and all the blood seemed to turn southward at once.

“Where is Percy?”

“Oh I’m right here, don’t you worry. Merry Christmas David.”

David spun around to see his brother walking out of the kitchen, coffee mug in hand, before glancing back to Credence, who was attempting to smile, even as he fell forward to catch himself on his palms, gasping for air.

“What’s going on?”

David wasn’t sure if it was some kind of prank or if his boy was really in distress, but he found he couldn’t quite look away from the boy’s cock, which looked painfully hard, curving against his stomach.

“I should think it was obvious. Credence asked for us both for Christmas. I didn’t touch him all night. He’s been waiting very patiently for you to join us.”

A moan drifted up over from where the boy was kneeling in front of the tree, and David walked over to him instantly, kneeling down to check on him, with a hand placed gently under his chin, bringing his face up to find a blissed out smile and tear tracked cheeks.

“What’s this about, hmm?”

Credence bit his lip and moaned again,

“There’s only one thing I wanted. For us to be together. Please?”

He whined low and long, and David felt as a shudder wracked through the boy’s slim body, as he caught the sound of some sort of humming.

His cheeks burned as he realized what it had to be.

“How long have you been torturing yourself?”

Credence shook his head,

“Not that. Trying to get myself ready.”

“He was insistent that I wasn’t to let it stop until he was ready. Are you ready baby?”

Credence nodded and as David watched his eyes fluttered closed, and he leaned forward to kiss him, feeling as the boy’s pent up energy finally came to a crest, and he trembled beneath his hand.

The kiss tasted like a wicked promise, and when David pulled back to help the boy to his feet, he could see that his cock was still hard and probably aching for a touch.

“Shall we go somewhere more comfortable, so we can unwrap you?”

Credence let out a breathy giggle at the tease, and David couldn’t help smiling at him as he shifted his hold on the boy, lifting him off his feet and tugging him up into his arms.

“Yes please.”

Percy followed them at a leisurely pace, and for that he was grateful, even if there was no such thing as head starts in the arrangement, it felt nice to be given a few extra moments with Credence before things got too hot and heavy.

“Does anything exciting happen if I take this bow off?”

David asked, and his boy shook his head, trailing a hand down from his shoulder,

“Just means you can mark me. But if you want me to magic your clothing away I can.”

“Feel free.”

Once safely under the covers, that was. It wasn’t a competition, but David couldn’t help being a little self conscious next to Percy, even with Credence between them acting as mediator of sorts. He didn’t mean to stare, but he noticed that his brother had several new scars, one that almost bisected his chest from his neck to his hip. It had to have been from the duel with Grindelwald, but he was a bit too afraid to ask, to pry.

“What’s wrong David?”

Credence was atop him, kissing his cheek as if trying to get his attention, like his hips grinding down over his hardening cock wouldn’t have done the trick.

“Sorry. Got lost in thought.”

Percy chuckled, and the bed dipped as he climbed in next to them, leaning across to place a kiss on Credence’s shoulder.

“It’s all right David. I know it’s been a good few years since we’ve been naked in the same room.”

“They couldn’t heal that completely?”

Credence hugged him a bit, and shifted over to kiss Percy soundly on the mouth, before returning to David, then shifting down, a palm grazing over his cock, distracting him slightly from his brother’s reply.

“I didn’t want them to erase it. I survived a deadly hex. I think I’ve earned the scar.”

Credence hummed in agreement, but it was with his mouth on David’s cock, so the sentiment was easily misconstrued.

Percy was leaning on an elbow watching, and David tried to breathe easy, and not say what he was thinking, which might have been a bit rude.

“Don’t make this awkward now. Go on, touch him. I know you like to put a hand in his hair, just like I do.”

“How exactly is this supposed to work?”

Credence swallowed around him, and caressed over his sack with his other hand that wasn’t stroking his cock, and David just did as his brother suggested, which he would have done anyway, had they not been under observation, petting over the boy’s head, and watching the way his eyes fluttered closed from the touch.

“It’s a process, as is everything. Good boy. Who do you want to fuck you first?”

David might have normally winced at such harsh language, especially around Credence, who merely pulled back from his cock, with an obscene noise before beaming at Percy, arching his back and as a result shoving his pert behind into the air.

“David.”

“Baby, he just came down your throat, how do you expect him to be ready again so soon?”

Percy’s voice was a low purr, and Credence crawled over to him to stare him down, cocking a dark brow before throwing David a glance,

“Magic? It’s how you kept me from coming even with that thing inside me.”

David blinked,

“Look, if you want Percy first, it’s okay, you were with him all night but somehow didn’t give in… to temptation.”

He smirked at his brother, and Credence pouted, before shifting his hips into Percy’s thigh,

“Okay. You can do me from behind if David can kiss me.”

“Of course baby.”  
“Thank you Papa.”

David looked over to meet Percy’s glance, and he felt his cheeks heat again.

“What’s this?”

Credence was hovering over him, kneeling on the bed as Percy got behind him and stroked a hand down his spine, before putting it to his own cock, and murmuring a lubricating spell. It was the same one he always used. He couldn’t remember if he’d learned it first and taught his brother, or learned it _from_ Percy.

“We use a few terms in the bedroom you probably wouldn’t ever think of. Don’t worry. I’m not corrupting him too much.”

David just watched a bit dazedly as his brother pushed inside Credence, which nudged him forward to slot their lips together. He kept his eyes open a while, watching his brother moving against their boy, before allowing himself to melt into the kiss, reaching out blindly for Credence’s cock, to try and participate as much as he could, while he recovered.

Credence was very eager and unabashedly humping into his hand, as Percy started to thrust a bit harder.

“It’s okay, now that David’s here, we can give him a nickname too.”

He opened his mouth to protest, but Credence just kept talking.

“Howabout Daddy?”

Normally he might not have responded to that, but it was _Credence_ naked and writhing against him, wanting to address him as such, therefore he didn’t feel an ounce of guilt when his cock twitched at the term.

“Okay.”

Percy looked as surprised as he was aroused, that was to say, bewildered, as he panted for breath.

“Okay? Wow, it’s a Christmas miracle, David being outgoing.”

“Shh-hh, I’m close.”

Credence whimpered, and David laughed at his adorable chastisement, before stroking him with more purpose, and leaning up to whisper before kissing him,

“Go on, come for us baby.”

There’s a slickness to the movement of his hand now, and David was tempted to bring his hand back and maybe clean it off, or hold it up to Credence and make him do that, but instead he clicked his fingers, cleaning them both, and just kissed his boy harder, feeling the aftershocks shudder through him.

Percy came a few moments later, falling over Credence’s back, groaning aloud, and David just smiled into the kiss, before feeling them both shift a bit, his brother collapsing onto the bed, and their boy curving against his side.

He put an arm around the boy’s back, and brushed against his brothers chest in the process.

“This is nice. We should have done this sooner. Too bad we had to wait until a holiday to voice our true desires, hmmm, my boy?”

Percy pressed a kiss between Credence’s shoulder blades, and the boy nodded, shifting closer to snuggle against David, but leaning back against his brother just the same.

“You… wanted to do this too?”

David was frowning, he couldn’t help it. After all, there were some lines they would never cross, much less consider, usually at least, without an outside force or third person driving them towards it.

It appeared that Credence was that force.

When Percy rolled closer to be flush against the boy’s back, he locked eyes with David,

“Sharing is caring right?”

Indeed.

 

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the much needed addition which i merely chickened out on originally, luckily the vision of two colin's kissing got me motivated, along with a gentle kick by partofforever ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> in case its not obvious, Daddy=David and Papa=Percy.

“So what did you get me… Daddy?”

David found himself blushing at that, still unused to the way they interacted, even when no one else was around. He looked over and found Credence was just smiling innocently at him, across the dining table, tilting his head, like he wasn’t already imagining them back in bed.

“It’s a surprise. Don’t you know, if I tell you, it will ruin the whole thing?”

Credence blinked,

“Oh? Is that how it works? I’ve never really celebrated a birthday before.”

He shrugged, but David knew better, he was trying to guilt him, trick him into telling Credence what his present was. It wasn’t gonna work.

Already he knew that his brother would be on his way, dressed to the nines, with the entire night awaiting them. Sport was at a friends house, getting plenty of love and attention, out of the house so he wouldn’t accidentally stumble in on something his poor puppy eyes didn’t need to witness.

Like both of the Graves’ trapping Credence in an embrace, a kiss, or so much more.

David pushed up his glasses and tried his best to ignore Credence’s now constant babbling, pondering what it could be.

“It wasn’t the cake, or dinner, or the cuffs last week.”

He hummed to himself, as David began to clear away the dishes and he’d been about to pour himself a drink, with one for Credence too, even if he wasn’t quite twenty, he could still enjoy a little indulgence for his birthday, but then there was a knock at the door, a dip in the wards, and he knew it was Percy.

“Are we expecting company?”

Credence called out, halfway down the entryway, and David grinned to himself,

“I don’t know.”

The warmth that filled him from the sound of Percy’s voice, greeting Credence and the following of words with a kiss and a lingering embrace was new. He missed his brother when they couldn’t visit each other often, now with the challenge of Credence, a shared lover, things were just  _ different  _ between them.

Though they always deferred to their boy, something still remained unsaid, hovering around, ghosts of words better left silent.

“Where are you hiding David?”

He stepped out of the kitchen into the living room, right into the line of Percy’s sight, and he caught the tail end of a wry smile,

“Ah. Sorry. Had to finish the dishes.”

“Old fashioned of you, cleaning by hand like you’re a nomaj or something. Isn’t that better left to your lovely wife?”

Percy thumbed the line of Credence’s jaw, and leaned in to kiss his cheek, before letting go of him and sweeping over to hug David.

“It’s his birthday remember? I wasn’t going to make him do any housework today.”

David’s words were somewhat muffled by Percy’s coat, scarf, so wrapped up it made him wonder if the man was cold. Or hiding something.

“Did you forget?”

Credence’s own voice was softer, now that he’d been chastised, and David exchanged a glance with Percy,  _ not yet _ , he was saying.

“Sweet boy, dear me no. I’ve just had a long day at work. Things slip my mind. I’m just glad to see you.”

“So you didn’t come over to bring me a present?”

David stifled a laugh behind a hand, nudging his glasses back up his nose, while Percy snorted,

“Greedy boy. What, do you think I’ve no one else to shower with gifts?”

Credence frowned,

“Yes?”

David coughed, and could hold back no longer, so he walked over and soundly pecked Credence on the cheek.

“My boy, Happy Birthday. Your present  _ is _ here. You can have us both, properly, for your celebration.”

Credence’s eyebrows rose up and his face brightened,

“Really?”

“Yes love, you’re calling the shots. Anything you want.”

“Thank you Papa!”

Credence surged into Percy’s arms and clung to him so tightly it was a wonder that he could breathe, as David watched, his brother gently hugged the boy right back, before breaking the kiss for a moment’s respite.

“Shall we?”

Percy glanced to David, who nodded. He’d already prepared by stealthily expanding the bed, enchanting candles around the room, and buying something fairly pretty that he really hoped Credence would like enough to wear.

Once inside the room, Credence was distracted by the twinkling lights, and Percy vanished all of his clothing, neatly reappearing it over on a chair, in the corner of the room, folded and pressed like new. David gulped, and tried to ignore how his hands shook when he started working on his own things, while nodding to the tissue wrapped bundle on the bed, which Percy summoned easily enough.

“What’s this, precious? Would you put it on for us? Wear this while we fuck you?”

“Daddy… you  _ did _ get me a present?”

Credence fairly squeaked as Percy petted a hand down his side, his clothing fairly melted away, and David paused with his shirt halfway undone.

“Of course I did. You just need to learn to be patient.”

“It’s perfect. Red as your cherry lips. Go on, arms up.”

Percy unfurled the silk, crimson and shimmery, gently bringing it down onto Credence’s body, framing his slender hips and revealing just enough leg, with the obvious tenting of his hard cock at the front.

His dark hair fell down his back and tickled his shoulders, mostly exposed by the thin straps of the slip, not quite a nightgown but too long to be a negligee, and Percy fell to his knees, staring up at their boy with stars in his eyes. David couldn’t do any more than watch as Credence braced his hands on Percy’s shoulders, while his fingers dipped under the hem, and rucked it up to the boy’s stomach, freeing his cock, so that he could press a kiss to the shiny tip.

“Beautiful.”

David didn’t recognize his own voice, gone hoarse with need, so he jumped into action, magicking away his own clothing and stepping over, greedily kissing Credence and distracting him, while Percy swallowed him down in earnest. David could feel the boy’s hips jerk, as he put one hand to settle at the base of his spine, and the other cupped along Credence’s sharp jawline.

“Happy birthday, my boy.”

“Th-hank you Daddy… oh!”

Credence’s eyes slammed shut as his jaw dropped, and David could feel his entire body tremble as he came, Percy was laughing, pulling back to let the boy’s cock slick his fingers and spill down onto his thighs, careful to avoid getting anything on the silk.

“Good boy.”

David’s twin fairly purred, before he nodded up to him, and he nudged Credence back to sit down on the bed, his legs spread automatically, so Percy could kiss his inner thighs, and brace him open wider.

“I’m going to eat you out, then I’ll fuck you. Will you be able to suck your Daddy’s cock properly?”

“Y-yes Papa.”

 

* * *

Percy smirked up at Credence, and caught David watching as he moved in closer, hands grazing up the boy’s bare legs, occasionally nipping the sensitive skin of his thigh, before nuzzling against the soft swell of his sack, reaching down to thumb over his twitching hole. Credence looked stunning in red, with such a contrast to his pale skin, and the shiny black of his longer hair, he was simply a vision.

When David had suggested they properly fuck him  _ together _ , how could he say no?

He owed them both, and most of all, he loved watching Credence fall apart, overwhelmed by so much pleasure and attention. Adoration and infatuation had nothing on their love, Percy decided. David climbed onto the bed to kneel behind Credence and hug him to his broad chest, not quite bracketing his arms away so the boy couldn’t touch him or Percy, but almost. His brother was exceedingly clever, and intuitive when it came to the boy. In a way, they had the heightened communication always rumored between twins, but there was something else too, a sixth sense. 

When he pushed Credence’s legs up, and wider apart, he squirmed, but David kept him from moving too far away, so that Percy could flatten his tongue against the heat of his taint, and swipe up to his softened cock, before pulling back and watching how it made the boy’s hole flutter for more. Credence was aching to be filled by a finger, two then three, before he could possibly be ready for Percy’s cock, but he loved it. Every second of teasing preparation was worth the wait, to hear Credence start to whimper, agonized cries of arousal, desperation for his need to be sated.

“Please Daddy, tell him to fuck me.”

“Shh-hh, baby. Be patient.”

He murmured, before casting for slick, then nudging his thumb over the now glistening pink of the boy’s rim, watching as Credence’s cock shifted on his stomach, starting to grow hard once more. His hips shifted, thrusting aimlessly, begging for more contact, while David continued to worry a love bite onto the side of his neck, strong arms locked around the boy’s chest.

The silk was bunched up around his ribs, just shy of the tip of his cock, and Percy decided he wouldn’t mind seeing it ruined, if the boy did it himself, lost in his own bliss.

“Are you ready for me  _ now _ ?”

“Yes!”

He hummed to himself, before getting up from the floor, standing tall and staring down at Credence, who finally stopped whining, worrying his plush bottom lip till it looked like it might bleed, and he locked eyes with Percy, before dropping down to stare at his cock.

“I don’t think you are baby, but if you want it to hurt, you just have to say so.”

He smirked, and then grasped a hand on each of Credence’s slender hips, pulling him down closer, so he could kneel on the bed now, and summarily rut against the cleft of his ass, just shy of fucking against the boy’s cock.

“Please!”   
Credence was flat on his back now, with David hesitating, sitting and waiting at the head of the bed to be directed as to how he could fuck the boy’s face.

“Do you want Daddy to be gentle while I take you hard?”

“Yes!”

Percy held Credence’s thighs apart, and continued to roll his hips, purposefully grazing the edge of the boy’s hole with every stroke, and he shivered under his hold, cock now dripping onto his stomach, easing closer to the scarlet silk with every second.

“David, please, hold him still.”

“You heard your Papa, be good for Daddy now, okay?”

Credence was already blinking back tears, but he nodded, and Percy stalled, the tenderness of their interaction enough to distract him. Even as his twin guided his plump cock into the boy’s mouth, he was petting his cheek, gentle, slow, easing his length between plush lips, and with one move, Credence was swallowing down far more than Percy would have expected so soon. He palmed over himself, and rubbed the head of his cock against the now heated wetness at the boy’s hole, then started to press inside. He went slow at first too, so that Credence could savor the experience, the sensation of being filled on both ends, trapped between the two of them, he was at the mercy of their pleasure. Even though it was technically the other way around. After all, it was what Credence had wanted, and Percy was only too happy to provide all his little love’s heart desired.

Gagged on a mouthful of David’s cock, Credence couldn’t moan or whimper anymore, he just took it, as Percy pulled back to thrust back inside fully, he let out a groan himself at the feel, tight hot wetness surrounding his length, squeezing him like a vise.

“Fuck, baby, it’s been far too long.”

He leaned down, close enough to eye how David’s cock bulged in Credence’s throat, before he dragged a hand from the boy’s shoulder to his stomach, grazing the silk, and deftly avoiding his cock, enjoying how the action made him squirm again. Credence’s own cock was now completely hard, flushed an angry red with throbbing veins along the side, aching for a touch. The boy’s hands were braced on David’s thighs, gripping tight, ensuring he wouldn’t cheat, or try and touch himself, if anything, he might reach back, feel between his legs, and tease him that way. Again, Percy had the errant thought wondering if Credence had yet been allowed to fuck David. He knew he’d enjoy watching that, for certain.

“You’ve already come baby. Make Daddy come, then I’ll let you come again… all right?”

He could see Credence staring up at David, but Percy thought he saw a hint of a nod, before the boy’s eyes fell shut again, and he tried to make a sound, that only succeeded in making David’s hips jolt.

“Fuck Perce, he’s humming. He’s so good. I can’t last much longer.”

“It’s okay. I’ve got you covered.”

Percy winked at him, and snapped his own hips forward, purposefully thrusting right against the spot that he knew would torture Credence the most, and sure enough, his cock oozed another few drops of precome onto his skin, closer to the silk than ever.

David fell forward, bracing himself against the backboard, and the bed right beside Credence’s shoulder, so that the boy was almost nuzzling the soft swell of his stomach with every shift, every staggered thrust, Percy could predict the exact second he started to come, he knew it had been from a gentle flick of the boy’s tongue against the underside. That was one of the many things they shared, a quick trigger to get them off the fastest. Credence was such a clever boy.

“Fuck…. Credence…”

David choked on a moan, and Percy could feel Credence starting to get him too, rhythmically clenching around his cock as he moved faster, though David pulled back soon, and panted for breath, Percy was no where near being done.

Credence blinked away some frantic tears, and then turned to Percy, lips still shiny with spit and come he hadn’t managed to swallow down.

“Papa, please…”

He sighed, and then petted the boy’s waist, curving his hands under his back, and lifting him slightly, so that he could fuck into him again, moving them closer. Credence’s legs braced against him, before wrapping around his waist, locking him in, deep as he could go,

“Baby… I can’t finish like this.”

“I know. You said  _ I _ could come next.”

Credence pouted, and Percy couldn’t resist, he reached around and gave a sharp slap to the closest side of the boy’s ass.

“Don’t be greedy.”

David was chuckling to himself when Percy looked over, and smirked at his twin,

“You let him act up like this when he’s with you, do you?”

“Maybe I’m just more laid back.”

“You bought handcuffs for him, did you not?”

“You told him about  _ that _ ?”

Credence blurted out, and Percy took advantage of his shock to yank free of his legs, before spanking him again, pulling out all the way, and smirking down at him.

“We’re brothers. We have no secrets, baby.”

For some reason, instead of inspiring more rebellion, that statement seemed to calm the boy, and he relaxed again, somewhat, lifting his hands up above his head, letting David take them, gently stroking the inside of his wrists, making him shiver.

“Please Papa. Come inside me.”

Percy glanced to David, who was just smiling, innocent as he could be, while still naked, glasses a bit smudged, and steamy. 

“Okay baby.”

 

* * *

Credence bit his lip, bracing as his Papa thrust back inside him in one smooth stroke, pushing all the way past the spot that made him arch his back, aching to come, and he shivered again, watching the man before him start to lose himself, finding his own pleasure first. He hadn’t meant to come off so brattily, and it had hurt, hearing Papa sound disappointed in him, along with the swats, though he’d been through much worse. Daddy was behind him, soothing him and murmuring quiet and comforting words of encouragement, telling him how beautiful he was, and how good he did. 

He loved sucking Daddy’s cock, and the kissing that usually followed after fucking along with cuddling, but first, since he had Papa to take care of too, so it was not quite time for that. He shifted on the bed, sliding a little with every roll of Papa’s hips as he was fucked into the bed, still half wearing the pretty red silk dress that Daddy had given him.

He didn’t want to make a mess of it, but sooner or later, his cock was going to pulse on his skin, and might dribble onto the fabric.

“Daddy…”   
“What’s the matter baby?”

Papa sighed, and put a hand to his chest, gripping the silk tight, before shoving it up higher, almost over his chin, and mouth, halting all further objections.

“Gonna fill you up, leave you dripping.”

Credence closed his eyes, and melted into the bed, every hard thrust and jolt enough to tease him closer and closer to coming. When Papa went still, and groaned low and long, Credence felt warmth pumping inside him, seeping in and around the length of the man’s cock, buried deep.

“Please please please…”

A hand, calloused and rough stroked over his cock, once, twice, and his eyes snapped open as he gasped, watching Papa smile down at him, 

“Good boy. Come for us.”

He couldn’t have stopped if he tried, and he felt wetness slick up his stomach and chest, almost to his neck before the hand holding his dress up let go, and fingers dragged down his skin, through the ragged lines of come, and when Papa touched his cock again, he squirmed, hypersensitive, it was too much.

“Okay Percy, I think he’s good now.”

“Oh yeah? Good. I’m fucking wiped out. I need a drink. Or a nap.”

“Wait!”

Credence bit his lip, lying perfectly still, panting for breath while Papa shifted over to collapse on the bed beside him, leaning down to kiss his bare shoulder,

“What’s up buttercup?”

He was winking and smiling, completely at ease, ridiculously handsome, gone was the harsher, more commanding presence he took on while fucking Credence or ordering his brother around.

“You said you two have no secrets, right?”

He shrugged,

“Sure baby. We’re family.”

“Have you ever… wanted to kiss each other?”

Credence couldn’t help asking. He  _ needed _ to know. Daddy inhaled sharply behind him, pressed against his back, soft and strong where Papa was hard and lean.

“Perce… I think our boy has a good point. We’ve never done anything like that. Besides practice for girls when we were little. How foolish we were.”

Credence gulped. His mouth went a little dry at the thought, the idea of them, younger, hidden away in the corner of Daddy’s library, or Papa’s den, holding hands, leaning in close, whispering about their crushes before finally pressing into each other, kissing slow, nervous breathing filling the silence when they parted.

“Baby, do you  _ want _ me to kiss David?”

Credence nodded minutely, and as he watched, Papa sat up slightly, resting on an elbow, and cocked a brow over at Daddy.

“Whatever he wants, he usually gets.”

Credence’s eyes burned, but he didn’t dare close them, not for a moment, as they both met over his body, tilting in, and closing their own eyes at the contact. Papa kissed more vigorously, he always did, and Daddy hummed against him, fumbling up to take off his glasses, while Credence took them without a word, cradling them to his chest, still watching, slack jawed.

Papa put one hand to his brother’s face, and cradled his cheek, curling his fingers under the softer line of his jaw, grazing the long dark curl that had slipped free from being tucked behind his ear. Both of them were growing out their hair, but Papa had more silvery streaks in his brown waves.

Credence thought they were both so handsome in their own ways, but now, together, in front of him, he’d never seen  _ anything _ like it. His hand was gravitating down to rub over his cock before he realized what he’d done, and he carefully nudged Daddy’s glasses away, off to rest on the bedside table, lest they be crushed.

When Papa and Daddy finally broke apart, glassy eyed and swollen lipped, Credence was on the verge of coming  _ again _ , caught in the middle of them.

“Did you like that baby?”

He could only nod.

 

* * *

**END**

 


End file.
